Robert Gustofson
CCRM Colorado
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Medical SchoolU. of Florida
ResidencyU. of North Carolina
FellowshipNational Inst of Health
Louisville
80 Health Park Dr.
Louisville, CO 80027
(303) 665-0150
114 assessments
9
8
Age
40 - 41
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
IVF
Diagnosis
—
9
8
While [Dr. Gustofson's] bedside/consultation manner could feel a bit fake-jolly, he always made time to answer as many questions as we had in each session, responded promptly to questions we submitted through the online portal, and provided thoughtful responses when we asked about the evidence behind various parts of our protocol...He also looked more thoroughly into Zika travel recommendations to help make some important international work trips possible before our IVF/retrieval and FET procedures.
$30,495 (before insurance reimbursement): covers one cycle of IVF including PESA, ICSI and FET. Does not include pharmacy (medications) and some labs [at CCRM Colorado]...The finance department was also very helpful in answering questions we had about the costs and options for payment/reimbursement. Weaknesses: Imperfect coordination across care providers. Contradictory information was our main frustration in this process, and it usually stemmed from the Lone Tree staff having different information/assumptions than the Louisville staff, or whoever answered the phone assuming standard operating procedure with our treatment when there were important changes/adjustments made by Dr. G in our file.
Age
40 - 41
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
East Asian
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Consultant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
IVF
Diagnosis
—
9
8
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
We can't argue with Dr. G's results: the protocol he designed resulted in 4 viable embryos (3 after CCS) on the first IVF attempt, and caused me minimal discomfort while on retrieval and transfer medications. While his bedside/consultation manner could seem a bit fake-jolly, he always made time to answer as many questions as we had in each session, responded promptly to questions we submitted through the online portal, and provided thoughtful responses when we asked about the evidence behind various recommendations/requirements in our treatment. (For example, we wondered why the clinic still required getting Vitamin D levels up, when it isn't clear that it makes a difference for IVF outcomes. Dr. G. sighed and explained that Vitamin D had shown early promise as making a big difference, but now the pendulum was swinging back toward skepticism. In the meantime there was no evidence that boosting Vitamin D hurt IVF outcomes, so they continued to require >30 while the research dust settled.) He also looked more thoroughly into Zika travel recommendations to help make some important international work trips possible before our IVF/retrieval and FET procedures.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions, especially if you've done your homework via sites like FertilityIQ and have your checklist of things you want to know. Dr. G may sometimes seem like he's trying to move things along quickly, but he means it when he says "do you have any other questions for me?" and will answer thoughtfully - or he'll check and get back to you within a day or so if he doesn't know the answer right away.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
While his bedside/consultation manner could feel a bit fake-jolly, he always made time to answer as many questions as we had in each session, responded promptly to questions we submitted through the online portal, and provided thoughtful responses when we asked about the evidence behind various parts of our protocol (e.g., why the clinic still required getting Vitamin D levels up when it isn't clear that it makes a difference for IVF outcomes).
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
Our profile:
Male factor infertility (10+ year old vasectomy)
Advanced age (male age 48, female age 40)
Female history of large fibroid and asymptomatic endometriosis (removed by laparoscopic myomectomy & lasering 3 years before)
This was our first time attempting to get pregnant. At Dr. G's recommendation, we decided to skip the low-probability steps of reversing a vasectomy, waiting for sperm counts to normalize, and trying naturally or with lighter assistance before advancing to IVF. (We also figured keeping the vasectomy in place was useful, as we only intend to have 1 child.)
Retrieval/IVF protocol:
Estrace (estrogen)
Cetrotide (GnRH blocker)
Menopur (FSH+LH)
Gonal-F (Injectable FSH)
Omnitrope (hGH)
Trigger with Lupralide (GnRH agonist)
Supported with doxycycline (antibiotic) and dexamethosone (corticosteroid) as well as daily prenatal vitamin + 5,000 IU Vitamin D
Retrieval/IVF results:
15 eggs retrieved
13 fertilized via ICSI
8 survived to Day 3
4 survived to Day 5
3 tested as euploid (CCS)
Transfer protocol:
Lupron Depot (endometriosis & fibroid suppression, 2x monthly injection prior to Cycle Day 1)
Birth control pill (cycle timing control)
Estradiol patches
Crinone (progesterone)
Progesterone in Oil (progesterone)
Supported by Medrol (steroid to prevent embryo rejection), doxycycline (antibiotic), and aspirin as well as daily prenatal vitamin + 5,000 IU Vitamin D
FET results:
Uterine lining and hormone levels (P4, E2, TSH, LH) all at desired levels at transfer
Pregnancy and live birth TBD
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Chris)
The nurses and clinic staff were generally great to work with - but were also the source of our biggest frustrations in the process, as multiple times we received contradictory, incomplete, or simply incorrect information, which we only caught because we had our own detailed spreadsheet and calendar. A few examples:
1. I had to travel for work to Zika countries between retrieval and FET, and was instructed just to call on Cycle Day 1 after I was back in the country. However, as we found out later, the 2 months of Lupron Depot I had complete first could have been done while I was abroad, as the Zika waiting period is 8 weeks. When I did call on Cycle Day 1 upon my return, the nurses were about to start me on a standard pre-FET protocol (birth control, etc.) until I reminded them that Lupron Depot was part of my treatment. At that point it was already too late to order and administer the Lupron Depot during that cycle, so we were delayed by yet another month.
2. We were told at the outset to get male communicable disease testing "close to retrieval date" and had planned accordingly, only to be told 2 weeks prior to retrieval that his communicables were late and had to be done within 24 hours - a significant disruption to both our busy work schedules.
3. After one set of labs I was told that I would need to extend one medication that I'd already finished by an extra 1-2 days; my fertility pharmacy was not local and had already closed for the day. I ended up having to take half a day off work to get a refill from a local (but faraway) fertility pharmacy.
4. I received contradictory information from different sources in the clinic whenever my treatment deviated from the norm - such as the 2 months of Lupron Depot mentioned above, the dosage schedule for Crinone (what my insurance allowed) instead of Endometrin, and the date of my pregnancy test (calculated for July 4, but split into two tests on July 3 and 5 to accommodate the holiday). Overall, I got in the regular habit of asking "Could you please double-check that that's what Dr. G specified in my file? Because I heard something different the last time I called."
All that being said, all the nurses and staff were friendly, efficient and responsive, and I did receive prompt calls with my lab results and regular nurse consultations to go over my treatment plan (where we caught a number of these ambiguities/errors).
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
Strengths:
Results and communication. We were really impressed by how I responded to the protocol pretty much exactly as predicted, as did our eggs and embryos - it built a lot of trust in Dr. G, as well as the embryologists and other technicians. And we appreciated how every care provider proactively communicated with us (e.g., after every lab and before every procedure) and was willing to spend time to answer any and all questions.
Administrative departments were also great, from scheduling to billing to sending paperwork. The finance department was also very helpful in answering questions we had about the costs and options for payment/reimbursement.
Weaknesses:
Imperfect coordination across care providers. Contradictory information was our main frustration in this process, and it usually stemmed from the Lone Tree staff having different information/assumptions than the Louisville staff, or whoever answered the phone assuming standard operating procedure with our treatment when there were important changes/adjustments made by Dr. G in our file.
What you should know:
As with any clinic and fertility treatment, be prepared to be more organized than anyone else involved in your care, and to press for clarification/correction whenever something doesn't match your understanding or simply doesn't feel right to you. These are caring professionals who share your goal of a successful pregnancy, and they have an impressive track record of making that happen. But they are still an imperfect operation, especially when it comes to coordinating the little details, so make sure to stay on top of those yourself.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
$30,495 (before insurance reimbursement): covers one cycle of IVF including PESA, ICSI and FET. Does not include pharmacy (medications) and some labs
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
Dr. G strongly recommended eSET based on our profile (no history of miscarriage) and preference to have one child. During our first consultation he did write out the statistical rates of success and complication risk for single vs. multiple, and let us make the choice.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
- Read less
10
10
Age
23 - 24
Treated
2019 - 2020
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality, Other
10
10
While CCRM is a large clinic, Dr G [Gustofson] does a fantastic job of making us feel cared for and seen as people over numbers. ... Dr. G performed a full work up before determining a course of treatment for us. He individualizes every persons care. Due to my specific condition, I was put on 250 units of Clomid, rather than the more typical 100 units. ... He remembers us and our names each time we see him, he asks about our family members by name, and he never rushes the appointment. We always spend at least 10 minutes chatting and catching up on life before delving into any procedural stuff.
The clinic [CCRM] is calm, clean, and well run. At times, you’ll wait a little longer than your appointment time but this is not a common occurrence. Making appointments is easy and they usually have several options. The transitions between rooms is smooth and comfortable. The office suite is a bit hard to find as it is in a wing of a hospital and on an upper floor, so maybe they should provide better direction on where to go when you get there the first time.
Age
23 - 24
Treated
2019 - 2020
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, Latino, Native American
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality, Other
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Each time we get to see Dr G it is a truly wonderful experience. He explains everything in a way that we can understand it. For example, instead of throwing the name of a medication at us and moving on, he will show us what it looks like and tell us exactly what it does when it is administered. He cares about us as people and is honest while remaining compassionate. He and his wife have struggled with infertility making him especially relatable and easy to talk to. The one downfall is that Dr G simply determines the course of treatment and monitors it to see if it needs adjustment, but we don’t see him for any minor procedures like IUIs. And unless your retrieval day falls on the days he works at the main office, another doctor will perform your procedure. They do make sure that your doctor is there for your embryo transfer though. He is an incredibly kind and knowledgeable doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Be honest with him and ask as many questions as possible. He will describe everything he can, but it’s up to you to leave with the information you want and need. He will take the time to answer them.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
While CCRM is a large clinic, Dr G does a fantastic job of making us feel cared for and seen as people over numbers. He remembers us and our names each time we see him, he asks about our family members by name, and he never rushes the appointment. We always spend at least 10 minutes chatting and catching up on life before delving into any procedural stuff.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
Dr. G performed a full work up before determining a course of treatment for us. He individualizes every persons care.
Due to my specific condition, I was put on 250 units of Clomid, rather than the more typical 100 units.
For IVF, I was on Menopur, Ganirellix, Gonal F, Clomid, and one other that I can’t remember the name of. I was monitored via ultrasound and blood draw each day to determine if a dosage change was needed. It did change often for the best results possible.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Christine Gallagher )
Each patient is assigned to a nurse. Christine was our nurse and she is the best nurse I have ever had in any medical capacity. She is knowledgeable, kind, organized, and an incredible communicator. She is always available for patients to ask any questions or express any worries or thoughts. She never hesitates to comfort people and she only has the best interest of patients in mind. She shared in our sadness at each failed treatment and celebrates the great parts too. She is also an incredible advocate for everyone and takes the appropriate information back to Dr G
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
The clinic is calm, clean, and well run. At times, you’ll wait a little longer than your appointment time but this is not a common occurrence. Making appointments is easy and they usually have several options. The transitions between rooms is smooth and comfortable.
The office suite is a bit hard to find as it is in a wing of a hospital and on an upper floor, so maybe they should provide better direction on where to go when you get there the first time.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
All the costs are pretty transparent on their website but we spent about $600/IUI and the cost of our IVF was $14,667 and we paid $4,000 with insurance. This included all medication and procedures
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
Our doctor does single embryo transfers for most patients. He cares about the safety and well-being of women and their babies, which is why he prefers single transfers. He will take this as a case by case basis though.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Provided conflicting information
- Read less
8
9
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2019 - 2020
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
8
9
Dr. G [Gustofson] encouraged us to go right into IVF, which was unsurprising, given my diminished ovarian reserve. My husband and I were more hesitant as we've been successfully pregnant naturally before and wanted to at least try medicated cycles before spending thousands on IVF. Dr. G supported us in this decision and we made changes with each medicated cycle. Our first two cycles were timed intercourse with letrozole.
We've now had experiences with all the other nurses (I think) in the CCRM Louisville office and they are all wonderful. They are all compassionate, organized, extremely responsive, and very knowledgeable.... CCRM is one of the best clinics in the country - they have an excellent lab and they use cutting edge technology.... For 4 medicated cycles, it was approximately $750-1000 per cycle. One IVF cycle will be approximately $24,000.
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2019 - 2020
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
8
9
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
I am grateful that Dr. G is 15 minutes from my house as he is a world-renowned RE. My husband and I feel that he looks out for our best interests and truly wants to help us get pregnant. He is honest, direct, and compassionate. He is easy to communicate with and at appointments we have never felt rushed.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Be honest with what you want out of your fertility journey so that Dr. G has a good starting point.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G is honest, direct, and compassionate. At first, his directness felt at odds with his very cheery manner (especially when he's not delivering great news) but I appreciate it now. He is extremely responsive (even to emails!) and is open to patient requests. I pushed for a treatment to thicken my lining and while it's not something that he's utilized before, he approved it. I feel he has our best interest at heart.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
Dr. G encouraged us to go right into IVF, which was unsurprising, given my diminished ovarian reserve. My husband and I were more hesitant as we've been successfully pregnant naturally before and wanted to at least try medicated cycles before spending thousands on IVF. Dr. G supported us in this decision and we made changes with each medicated cycle. Our first two cycles were timed intercourse with letrozole. Our second two cycles were IUI with letrozole. We upped the dose up the letrozole to 10mg by the third round because I was the most responsive to that. He also put me on estrogen and progesterone to help with my lining issues. I am about to start priming for my first egg retrieval with him. I have a full month of priming on testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Christine G)
My nurse is Christine G. and she is excellent. We've now had experiences with all the other nurses (I think) in the CCRM Louisville office and they are all wonderful. They are all compassionate, organized, extremely responsive, and very knowledgeable.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
CCRM is one of the best clinics in the country - they have an excellent lab and they use cutting edge technology. Dr. Schoolcraft is one of the most reputable REs in the world. Their main Lone Tree office felt a little sterile to me compared to the cozy Louisville office, but I really have no other comments.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
For 4 medicated cycles, it was approximately $750-1000 per cycle. One IVF cycle will be approximately $24,000.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
N/A
- Read less
10
10
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
Based on my age and diagnostic results, Dr. Gustofson recommended a single embryo transfer...took time to listen to our background and specific wishes on how wanted our IVF cycle to look (for example, no ICSI). He was very supportive in tailoring our protocol to meet our personal wishes. We never felt rushed in our consultations. He also did a good job of explaining our diagnostic results...factual on what the options and success rates were. We appreciate candid and blunt answers, but also liked his bedside manner. When we had a successful retrieval and transfer, he personally called and visited us during our follow up ultrasounds. We felt he genuinely was excited for us and cared for our situation and follow up.
I appreciate that I can see and print results directly from the patient portal [at CCRM Colorado]. I asked that they always be placed there and they did. The nurses were good to call and let me know results as well - even if the results did not change any course of action I was on. CCRM is a big company, but I never felt like a number at this Louisville branch...we were not assigned a nurse when we started at CCRM. This caused some confusion and bounce around for awhile, but then were assigned the head nurse. Since is a smaller branch of CCRM, they do not assign IVF nurses specifically. This caused some confusion as well when we trying to manage an issue like period not starting so we could start the IVF cycle. Responses to issues like this really depended on which nurse we happened to get at each visit.
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
—
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson took time to explain our diagnostic results and lay out our treatment options. I never felt pressured to take one course over another. He was just factual on what the options and success rates were. We appreciate candid and blunt answers, but also liked his bedside manner. When we had a successful retrieval and transfer, he personally called and visited us during our follow up ultrasounds. We felt he genuinely was excited for us and cared for our situation and follow up.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Don't be afraid to ask for details on your diagnostic testing and protocols. He is happy to share to the extent you want.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson took time to listen to our background and specific wishes on how wanted our IVF cycle to look (for example, no ICSI). He was very supportive in tailoring our protocol to meet our personal wishes. We never felt rushed in our consultations. He also did a good job of explaining our diagnostic results.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
They expected a high egg retrieval count, so carefully monitored to make sure I didn't hyperstimulate. Luckily, I did not and credit this to the well thought out protocol and careful monitoring. We ended up bumping the retrieval date up one day earlier. We chose not to do ICSI and still had a very successful fertilization rate. Since we did not do CCS testing, we also had the option to do a fresh transfer. Since I did not hyperstimulate, this was possible and we had a successful fresh transfer.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
For whatever reason, we were not assigned a nurse when we started at CCRM. This caused some confusion and bounce around for awhile, but then were assigned the head nurse. Since is a smaller branch of CCRM, they do not assign IVF nurses specifically. This caused some confusion as well when we trying to manage an issue like period not starting so we could start the IVF cycle. Responses to issues like this really depended on which nurse we happened to get at each visit.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
I appreciate that I can see and print results directly from the patient portal. I asked that they always be placed there and they did. The nurses were good to call and let me know results as well - even if the results did not change any course of action I was on. CCRM is a big company, but I never felt like a number at this Louisville branch.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
Based on my age and diagnostic results, Dr. Gustofson recommended a single embryo transfer. We agreed and that single embryo transfer resulted in a pregnancy.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Failed to send your chart to another clinic
- Read less
10
9
Age
38 - 39
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
4 IUI, 5 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor, Poor Egg Quality, Other
10
9
Dr. Gustafson recommended a microdose lupron flare protocol since I have DOR. It worked much better for me than traditional antagonist cycles I’ve done in the past...We have a frozen embryo that we will likely transfer later by itself. Since we have trouble making blastocysts, Dr. G recommend a day 3 freeze all for our final cycle and put several embryos back. It worked!...correctly predicted my retrieval results without deviation. This man not only knows what he’s doing, but he genuinely cares. He made 11 changes to our treatment plan and wasn’t afraid to think outside the box. I’m currently pregnant from my first transfer ever! Wish I had come here first instead of as my third clinic.
Sarah [nurse at CCRM Colorado] is a dream. She felt like an old friend during my embryo transfer process. She’s lovely and sweet and responsive. Prior to that I had Katherine, who made a number of mistakes and was quite discouraging at one point during the retrieval process. Don’t be afraid to switch as they do have good nurses on staff!...I had one time where there was confusion over bloodwork. Since I was an IVF pro at that point, I knew what was supposed to be happening and easily had the orders fixed...It can feel like a machine but it’s one that knows what they’re doing. You will have to repeat most testing at your one day workup, but it is more through than others. I recommend starting the fertility evaluation process several months before you actually plan to do a retrieval. They had me participate in a study that added 12 weeks. From our first consult, the timeframe for three retrievals and transfer was 10 months, with a month off here and there for medical reasons and mental health vacations.
Age
38 - 39
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
—
Occupation
Operations
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 3 Docs
Treatment
4 IUI, 5 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor, Poor Egg Quality, Other
10
9
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustafson is the only doctor at CCRM you can email directly. He called me himself with good news and bad, and also talked us into continuing a dismal looking cycle...that one turned out to be my best and resulted in my pregnancy.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Come with questions and he will explain everything. Trust him, he’s an expert.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
My previous RE made me feel hopeless after I had zero embryos to freeze from multiple retrievals. I was told I needed donor eggs. Dr. Gustafson didn’t even believe my numbers and he was right once I had a new eval - things were better than expected! He also correctly predicted my retrieval results without deviation. This man not only knows what he’s doing, but he genuinely cares. He made 11 changes to our treatment plan and wasn’t afraid to think outside the box. I’m currently pregnant from my first transfer ever! Wish I had come here first instead of as my third clinic.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
Dr. Gustafson recommended a microdose lupron flare protocol since I have DOR. It worked much better for me than traditional antagonist cycles I’ve done in the past.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Katherine then Sarah)
Sarah is a dream. She felt like an old friend during my embryo transfer process. She’s lovely and sweet and responsive. Prior to that I had Katherine, who made a number of mistakes and was quite discouraging at one point during the retrieval process. Don’t be afraid to switch as they do have good nurses on staff!
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
It can feel like a machine but it’s one that knows what they’re doing. You will have to repeat most testing at your one day workup, but it is more through than others. I recommend starting the fertility evaluation process several months before you actually plan to do a retrieval. They had me participate in a study that added 12 weeks. From our first consult, the timeframe for three retrievals and transfer was 10 months, with a month off here and there for medical reasons and mental health vacations.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
We were fortunate to have some insurance. One day work up was about $5k. Our out of pocket cycle cost us $25k including transfer. Each additional retrieval is about $14k, plus meds which cost me $4-7k per retrieval.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
We have a frozen embryo that we will likely transfer later by itself. Since we have trouble making blastocysts, Dr. G recommend a day 3 freeze all for our final cycle and put several embryos back. It worked!
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Failed to order appropriate test
- Read less
Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
9
9
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI, 4 IVF, 1 Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Unexplained
9
9
Dr. Gustofson really cares about his patients, and takes the time to explain everything. When I approach him about alternative protocols, he takes the time to explain the positives and negatives of that particular approach. I've had 2 unsuccessful transfers and a chemical pregnancy with him, and he was empathetic and sincere when he called me...is a big proponent of eSET. He wants you to have a healthy pregnancy and baby, and not have complications. However, he is willing to transfer two if you are aware of the risks...responds to emails quickly, and he calls with news from genetic testing to positive or negative betas. We can tell he really wants us to have a baby.
Retrievals [at CCRM Colorado] are ~$25,000 with genetic testing (not including meds) Transfers are ~$4500 (not including meds)...you can feel like a number at the actual clinic. The staff is friendly and always responsive, but everything is very "assembly line" in that you have one nurse who does the blood draw, another do the follicle scan, and another that explains your numbers to you, and none of them are your main point of contact nurse. However, as said, everyone is friendly, the clinic is very clean, and I didn't feel my care was ever compromised by their way of doing things.
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 3 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, 4 IVF, 1 Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Unexplained
9
9
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson really cares about his patients, and takes the time to explain everything. When I approach him about alternative protocols, he takes the time to explain the positives and negatives of that particular approach. I've had 2 unsuccessful transfers and a chemical pregnancy with him, and he was empathetic and sincere when he called me.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson and CCRM are among the best of the best, but don't expect IVF to work the first time. You still have to be patient.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson responds to emails quickly, and he calls with news from genetic testing to positive or negative betas. We can tell he really wants us to have a baby.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
Retrievals-gonal F, double menopur doses, testosterone gel and patches, viagra, estrace, prometrium, saizen, acai supplements, clomid, dexamethasone (antagonist protocol)
Transfers-2 months depot lupron, estradiol patches, estrace, endometrin, PIO, prednisone, pepcid, claritin, lovenox, electro-acupuncture
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Kathryn)
Kathryn is great for the most part. There were a few times that I had to ask for refills/orders when I thought they should have already been taken care of, but overall a great experience.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
CCRM is known for their lab, which is one of the best in the world. However, you can feel like a number at the actual clinic. The staff is friendly and always responsive, but everything is very "assembly line" in that you have one nurse who does the blood draw, another do the follicle scan, and another that explains your numbers to you, and none of them are your main point of contact nurse.
However, as said, everyone is friendly, the clinic is very clean, and I didn't feel my care was ever compromised by their way of doing things.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
Retrievals are ~$25,000 with genetic testing (not including meds)
Transfers are ~$4500 (not including meds)
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
Dr. Gustofson is a big proponent of eSET. He wants you to have a healthy pregnancy and baby, and not have complications. However, he is willing to transfer two if you are aware of the risks.
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8
8
Age
36
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
6 IUI, 3 IVF
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality, Unexplained
8
8
Dr. Gustofson is personal, warm, and detail-oriented. He patiently walks you through every step of the procedure or protocol, always pausing to ask questions and ensure you are understanding. He is clearly very skilled at his work and thinks creatively about solutions...allows you to email him directly (as opposed to emailing through his team/nurses), which tells you a lot. He is interested in the doctor-patient relationship...We used quite an aggressive treatment protocol with testosterone patches, estogen patches, menopur, lupron, prometrium, progesterone, as well as fistfuls of supplements. This treatment was aggressive to help me grow more, higher-quality eggs, as my previous cycles were hampered by low-quality eggs.
We used quite an aggressive treatment protocol with testosterone patches, estogen patches, menopur, lupron, prometrium, progesterone, as well as fistfuls of supplements [at CCRM Colorado]. This treatment was aggressive to help me grow more, higher-quality eggs, as my previous cycles were hampered by low-quality eggs...Sarah [nurse] was terrific--responsive, compassionate, organized, detail-oriented, and ALWAYS willing to field a phone call, even for a seemingly minor question. She was on my speed dial for weeks!...The entire IVF round was between $25-$30k...
Age
36
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
6 IUI, 3 IVF
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality, Unexplained
8
8
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson is personal, warm, and detail-oriented. He patiently walks you through every step of the procedure or protocol, always pausing to ask questions and ensure you are understanding. He is clearly very skilled at his work and thinks creatively about solutions.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Never hesitate to ask as many questions as you have. He is the one doctor at CCRM who allows you to email him directly (as opposed to emailing through his team/nurses), which tells you a lot. He is interested in the doctor-patient relationship.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson is warm and makes you feel cared about--during every phone call, it was obvious that he had spent time reviewing our chart and situation. He personalized his recommendations often by saying, "If you were my wife" or "if you were my daughter," which gave me peace of mind. CCRM overall is a well-oiled machine, so it is easy to feel like a number, but our interactions with Dr. G felt quite personal.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
We used quite an aggressive treatment protocol with testosterone patches, estogen patches, menopur, lupron, prometrium, progesterone, as well as fistfuls of supplements. This treatment was aggressive to help me grow more, higher-quality eggs, as my previous cycles were hampered by low-quality eggs.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Sarah)
Sarah was terrific--responsive, compassionate, organized, detail-oriented, and ALWAYS willing to field a phone call, even for a seemingly minor question. She was on my speed dial for weeks!
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
CCRM is very well-run: booking appointments, the one-day work-up, setting dates for procedures, were all very easy. The finance office is hard to reach and a bit confusing, but ultimately I found a very helpful employee who made the process infinitely easier. It can feel a little impersonal, as you may not see your nurse every visit, and you certainly won't see your doctor, but everyone is kind, professional, and willing to answer any questions.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
The entire IVF round was between $25-$30k.
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10
10
Age
34
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality, Unexplained, Other
10
10
Dr. G[ustofson] is great to work with and I’m so glad he’s our doctor. He is very knowledgeable and I trust his expertise. He is very responsive to communication. I’m glad to see him at the Louisville clinic, which in my experience is more welcoming and less intimidating than the huge Lone Tree clinic...daily Omnitrope (human growth hormone) for the first 5 days. I was also on a daily steroid...The priming included testosterone gel and patches, estrogen pills, and progesterone suppositories.
I love the Louisville location [of CCRM]. It’s small and feels welcoming. The Lone Tree location I have found to be intimidating because it’s so big and fancy, and I don’t know the staff there as personally. All of the surgery staff at Lone Tree were beyond excellent though - so warm and reassuring...All of the nurses and ultrasound technicians are wonderful. Our nurse has been great to work with and we spoke daily throughout this process. She later very easy to get a hold of and always patient and responsive with my questions
Age
34
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European, Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Lawyer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality, Unexplained, Other
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G is great to work with and I’m so glad he’s our doctor. He is very knowledgeable and I trust his expertise. He is very responsive to communication. I’m glad to see him at the Louisville clinic, which in my experience is more welcoming and less intimidating than the huge Lone Tree clinic.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G is so kind and his demeanor makes me feel comfortable and at ease
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
My stim protocol was 150 menopur + 300 follistim as well as daily Omnitrope (human growth hormone) for the first 5 days. I was also on a daily steroid and started Ganirelix on day 5 or 6 I think. Trigger shot was Pregnyl. I also was on 30 days of priming for the month prior to the injectibles. The priming included testosterone gel and patches, estrogen pills, and progesterone suppositories.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Christine G)
All of the nurses and ultrasound technicians are wonderful. Our nurse has been great to work with and we spoke daily throughout this process. She later very easy to get a hold of and always patient and responsive with my questions
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
I love the Louisville location. It’s small and feels welcoming. The Lone Tree location I have found to be intimidating because it’s so big and fancy, and I don’t know the staff there as personally. All of the surgery staff at Lone Tree were beyond excellent though - so warm and reassuring.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
So far we have paid roughly 15k for surgery, procedure, IVF cycle #1 and meds. Our treatment is partially covered by insurance at this point but our insurance is limited to 25k lifetime max so if this process takes more than 2 cycles for us our expenses will contribute substantially.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
Dr. G advised us on the risks of multiple embryo transfer and shared his opinion that a single embryo transfer was best. Our insurance only covers single embryo transfer so that makes it easy.
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8
8
Age
30 - 31
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
8
8
Face time with Dr. G[ustofson] has been very limited. He is kind and personable when we have spoken, but it always feels a little bit rushed and speaking to him directly (rather than a nurse) is rare. He does remember details about our lifestyle, where we live, etc...has a good sense of humor (which we appreciate, but I could see being a deterrent for some folks). We just wished he had been a little bit more communicative in person. When most of your communication is done through a nurse (although I understand that this is the norm) it can make you feel a bit disconnected from the doctor. We have felt like we are in competent hands.
The nurses were all very kind and the facility [CCRM Colorado] always felt clean and professional. The whole process ended up taking a lot longer than was originally told (some of this is just due to hormones, etc. that nobody has control over) and this could be frustrating...When most of your communication is done through a nurse (although I understand that this is the norm) it can make you feel a bit disconnected from the doctor. We have felt like we are in competent hands.
Age
30 - 31
Treated
2018 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor
8
8
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G is very personable and has a good sense of humor (which we appreciate, but I could see being a deterrent for some folks). We just wished he had been a little bit more communicative in person. When most of your communication is done through a nurse (although I understand that this is the norm) it can make you feel a bit disconnected from the doctor. We have felt like we are in competent hands.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
He has a good reputation and seems very competent, but just be aware you might not have much face (or voice) time with him!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Face time with Dr. G has been very limited. He is kind and personable when we have spoken, but it always feels a little bit rushed and speaking to him directly (rather than a nurse) is rare. He does remember details about our lifestyle, where we live, etc.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
After all of the tests we were diagnosed with low sperm count/motility. I had to take injections of Menopur, Cetrotide and Gonal F (which all made me feel super bloated and crampy, although not as bad as I was expecting). I ended up having to take more doses than originally prescribed, which I didn't really understand the reasoning for. This part was a bit rough financially. The retrieval was done by another doctor (which just happens because they have to time it based on your hormone levels and who happens to be working what day). We had 21 eggs retrieved, 11 turned into embryos, and 3 mature enough to freeze. For some reason we didn't realize it could yield so little from so many eggs! We were also hoping for a fresh transfer, but apparently it was too dangerous given my hormone levels, so we will do the frozen transfer 2 months after the retrieval - which was also a much larger time window than we had expected/been told originally.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
The Louisville (Avista) campus was good about communication, but we ran into more trouble with that from the Lone Tree campus, which can be frustrating as they are the only ones open on the weekends and the only surgery center. The nurses were all very kind and the facility always felt clean and professional. The whole process ended up taking a lot longer than was originally told (some of this is just due to hormones, etc. that nobody has control over) and this could be frustrating.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
$2,800 for the package including first consultation, regroup, blood tests, testing
$20,000 for IVF cycle
Additional $3,000 for lab results that were sent out
$6,000 for IVF medications
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
Dr. G really seems only open to single embryo transfer vs. multiple. After my own research that did seem like the safer way to go, but if we weren't trying to move the process along as quickly as we could I might have seeked out a second opinion.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Failed to call with results
- Provided conflicting information
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10
8
Age
31
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
8
It is hard to rate my doctor [Dr. Gustofson] because the nurses are who you will work with the most. The two meetings I had with Dr. Gustofson were pleasant and he seemed to care about us as a patient. I am sure If I was doing IVF I would see him more...He went through all of the details of my treatment in ways that I could understand and did not seem like he was in a hurry when he was with me. I only met with him twice so far and he was very understanding and did not question me wanting to do the treatment while my husband is deployed.
The nurses [at CCRM Colorado] do most of the stuff at the clinic including IUIs. My nurse was great when I was there. She explained all of the risks and performed the IUI easily and quickly. She was compassionate when I called and told her that the IUIs failed. I cried on the phone as she explained my options from then on...We did about $2500 on testing and initial consult. The IUIs were about $1400 each...The biggest weakness of the clinic is their hours. They only take appointments until 3:15. This timing is difficult when you cannot preplan appointment because it is determined by your cycle and you are trying to work full time. Other than that the clinic was always nice and compassionate.
Age
31
Treated
2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
8
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
He went through all of the details of my treatment in ways that I could understand and did not seem like he was in a hurry when he was with me. I only met with him twice so far and he was very understanding and did not question me wanting to do the treatment while my husband is deployed.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
I would recommend that you you are prepared for all of the appointments. Dr. Gustofson seems great.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
It is hard to rate my doctor because the nurses are who you will work with the most. The two meetings I had with Dr. Gustofson were pleasant and he seemed to care about us as a patient. I am sure If I was doing IVF I would see him more.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
For drugs, I just used clomid and the trigger shot. I was monitored by ultrasound for the size of my follicles. I responded well to the drugs so I did not have to change up my meds. I am on my 3rd IUI so hopefully it works.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Christine W)
The nurses do most of the stuff at the clinic including IUIs. My nurse was great when I was there. She explained all of the risks and performed the IUI easily and quickly. She was compassionate when I called and told her that the IUIs failed. I cried on the phone as she explained my options from then on.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
The biggest weakness of the clinic is their hours. They only take appointments until 3:15. This timing is difficult when you cannot preplan appointment because it is determined by your cycle and you are trying to work full time. Other than that the clinic was always nice and compassionate.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
Everything was out of pocket for us. We did about $2500 on testing and initial consult. The IUIs were about $1400 each.
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7
8
Age
32 - 38
Treated
2013 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality
7
8
Initially, my experience was not favorable. I was 29 and presented with high fsh/low amh, low egg count and quality. He [Dr. Robert Gustofson] told me very pointedly that he would not do IVF with my own eggs. The delivery was too frank for this type of news and there was very little empathy. It felt like they were unwilling to try because it would greatly impact their statistics in a negative way if it did not work.
The general nursing staff at the Louisville branch [of CCRM] (my primary location) was nice, efficient and helpful. Carolyn - my main nurse contact there - was great and answered a lot of frantic questions with compassion. The rest of the nursing staff was fine, not exceptionally warm or friendly, but they did their jobs well. My primary donor nurse, Kristi, was incredible. I cannot say enough good things about her! Throughout the entire process she was patient, personable, friendly, and answered my MANY questions with grace and thoughtfulness.
Age
32 - 38
Treated
2013 - 2019
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Architect
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality
7
8
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G is in a tough spot - it requires him to be frank, but also compassionate. He does not ooze warmth and there are some patients (me included, at least initially) that require that when seeking fertility treatments. But he is honest and forthcoming and always has his patients best interests in mind. I felt like I was in capable hands when we proceeded with treatments.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G has your best interests in mind and will be truthful when it comes to your care, but he won't sugarcoat anything and won't be the person you lean on emotionally.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Initially, my experience was not favorable. I was 29 and presented with high fsh/low amh, low egg count and quality. He told me very pointedly that he would not do IVF with my own eggs. The delivery was too frank for this type of news and there was very little empathy. It felt like they were unwilling to try because it would greatly impact their statistics in a negative way if it did not work. The impersonal interaction made me take a break from CCRM for several years.
When we finally returned to the clinic, we had a conversation with Dr. G about our previous interaction and he immediately changed his tune. Since then, he has been friendly, personable and caring.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
It has been 3 years since my last treatment with Dr. G, so I cannot remember specific medications or protocols. But Dr. G had a solid game plan, monitored me closely and always explained in detail if anything needed to change.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Kristi Bishop)
The general nursing staff at the Louisville branch (my primary location) was nice, efficient and helpful. Carolyn - my main nurse contact there - was great and answered a lot of frantic questions with compassion. The rest of the nursing staff was fine, not exceptionally warm or friendly, but they did their jobs well.
My primary donor nurse, Kristi, was incredible. I cannot say enough good things about her! Throughout the entire process she was patient, personable, friendly, and answered my MANY questions with grace and thoughtfulness. She always went above and beyond to make me feel comfortable and even stepped in to assist with a billing snafu when we were abroad. I felt I could always count on Kristi for anything, and that really put my mind at ease during such a trying, emotional time.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
The Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine is a world-renowned fertility clinic for a reason - they provide state-of-the-art treatments, innovative research, and techniques that give them higher success rates than many of their counterparts. The staff is well-trained and things are done very efficiently. However, this often creates a very sterile environment where you feel more like a cog in the wheel than a living, breathing human with a personal story. This is more evident in the extravagant Lonetree location than in smaller, homier Louisville.
The other glaringly obvious issue is the business office. For such a larger, profitable organization, they are disorganized and often rude. One example of their ineptitude - they failed to inform us about the due date for a $30,000 payment and then insisted we find a way to pay it within 12 hours when we were on vacation in Italy. There mistake, but ours to fix. I was continually shocked at how many errors and inefficiencies we encountered and they were VERY frustrating given how much we were paying the clinic for our treatments.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
Donor IVF cycle (including donor meds and fees and my transfer) totaled approximately $44,000. Additional medications for me were about $4,000. Total for the entire procedure was $48,000.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
Because I was otherwise very healthy and since our young donor produced an exceedingly high number of highly graded embryos, Dr. G was very clear about the fact that he would not transfer more than one. He explained that he was very confidant the treatment would be successful and explained the immense risks to me and the babies if I were to carry multiples.
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10
8
Age
32 - 33
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
3 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
8
Dr. Gustafson was honest, kind, thoughtful. While we never made it past 7 weeks, you could tell he was rooting for us and truly disappointed and sorry that things didn't work out for us. From the get go, we had already done a cycle of IVF without success (chemical and miscarriage of trisomy 13 at 6.5 weeks), he told us there were no medical reasons to not try again. We ended up with 9 CCS normal embryos. However, after 2 failed transfers (chemical and blighted ovum) he told us one of things wad happening. Despite my hysteroscopy and all labs/scans looking normal, my uterus wasn't a good environment or there was something behind chromosomes that is genetically wrong with the embryos.
[the nurses at CCRM CO-Louisville were] Not compassionate. Told me the gender of one of our embryos even though I explicitly told them I didn't want to know. Never caked me when my thyroid labs were abnormal, I called multiple times asking for the results. Not at all compassionate when I was worried about miscarrying based on those results. More concerned about setting up an appointment than giving me a minute after we did miscarry to process the information.
Age
32 - 33
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
8
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustafson was honest, kind, thoughtful. While we never made it past 7 weeks, you could tell he was rooting for us and truly disappointed and sorry that things didn't work out for us. From the get go, we had already done a cycle of IVF without success (chemical and miscarriage of trisomy 13 at 6.5 weeks), he told us there were no medical reasons to not try again. We ended up with 9 CCS normal embryos. However, after 2 failed transfers (chemical and blighted ovum) he told us one of things wad happening. Despite my hysteroscopy and all labs/scans looking normal, my uterus wasn't a good environment or there was something behind chromosomes that is genetically wrong with the embryos. Our final transfer resulted in a pregnancy but miscarriage at 7 weeks. He was so kind during our D&C and told us he was always there for us. We still have 5 embryos and may some day decide to transfer them or pursue a gestational carrier, but are also at peace that Dr. Gustafson did everything in his power, knowledge, expertise to help us be parents.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Trust him. He will be honest with you. And like he told us on our first consultation he'll "tell you when to get off of the roller coaster". And he doesn't say that to be mean. He says it for your own sanity. He doesn't want to just take your money over and over if he doesn't think it will work.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
He was personable, kind, honest. He'd remember things about us.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
I honestly don't remember what protocol we used for egg retrieval.
First FET e-set of day 5AA CCS normal blast. Lupron started when bcp stopped. Vivelle patches increasing. Endometrium, PIO and me from.
2nd FET added antihistamine protocol with aspirin, claritin, pepcid, and prednisone.
3rd FET antihistimine protocol and lovenox.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Not compassionate. Told me the gender of one of our embryos even though I explicitly told them I didn't want to know. Never caked me when my thyroid labs were abnormal, I called multiple times asking for the results. Not at all compassionate when I was worried about miscarrying based on those results. More concerned about setting up an appointment than giving me a minute after we did miscarry to process the information.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
Overall CCRM has so many patients I can see where it feels like you're a number. However my personal doctor did not make me feel that way. Nursing staff wad terrible. Buildings themself clean. Lab people friendly. Usually fairly easy to make appointments
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
$22000 for egg retrieval, 1st transfer. $5000 for each subsequent FET
Meds totaled probably $1000
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
First 2 transfers did e-SET then did embryos on 3rd transfer.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Failed to call with results
- Failed to order appropriate test
- Lost results
- Provided conflicting information
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8
7
Age
35
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
8
7
Overall I found Dr. Gustofson very caring and I felt he really knew what he was doing. My only issue related to Dr. Gustofson was that he left town during a crucial part of my treatment (which I completely understand and don’t hold against him) but neither he nor his staff mentioned he would be leaving so it was offputting for me to find this out when I needed to ask him a question regarding treatment and he was gone.
I found most of the staff [CCRM] I encountered to be very nice and helpful, the facility itself was nice and I think that overall things run pretty smoothly with the day to day there. As a clinic I don’t think they have many weaknesses other than some of the staff did not seem great with communication some of the time.... We paid approx $25,000 for the IVF up front (this did not include the IVF meds or the full day work up we first had to do which
Age
35
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European, Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
2 IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
8
7
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Overall I found Dr. Gustofson very caring and I felt he really knew what he was doing. My only issue related to Dr. Gustofson was that he left town during a crucial part of my treatment (which I completely understand and don’t hold against him) but neither he nor his staff mentioned he would be leaving so it was offputting for me to find this out when I needed to ask him a question regarding treatment and he was gone.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
He seems like a genuinely caring doctor.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
I felt Dr. Gustofson was very warm and personable when I met or communicated with him but I had quite a bit of trouble with communication with other staff including nurses. I felt that at some pretty important times I had a hard time getting a response from the appropriate staff member. That said, Dr. Gustofson was really good with the communication.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
Priming meds:
Estrace 2mg - cycle day 2 on
Testosterone gel - day 3-20
Prometrium 200mg - 2x day/ day 16-25
Testosterone patch 2mg - day 21-25
Cetrotide 0.25mg - day 23-25
Stim meds:
Viagra 50mg 2x a day
Menopur 150units 2x a day
Gonal-F 300 units once a day
Dexamethasone 0.5mg once a day
Saizen 0.4ml once a day
Clomid 100mg once a day (added when follicles were not growing enough and injections were switched to intramuscular instead of sub q)
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Aiyana Coon)
I felt at times that Aiyana was very nice, organized and communicated well but there were times that I was very frustrated with the lack of comminication from her and almost requested to be switched to the care of another nurse.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
I found most of the staff I encountered to be very nice and helpful, the facility itself was nice and I think that overall things run pretty smoothly with the day to day there. As a clinic I don’t think they have many weaknesses other than some of the staff did not seem great with communication some of the time.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
We paid approx $25,000 for the IVF up front (this did not include the IVF meds or the full day work up we first had to do which I can’t remember the exact cost of but it wasn’t inexpensive). Because the cycle was cancelled we were refunded around $21,000.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
For my age group he recommended one embryo be transferred at a time to reduce chances of multiples because of higher risk. I completely agreed with this approach.
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10
10
Age
28 - 32
Treated
2014 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
—
10
10
Based on my age and health, [Dr. Gustofson] was incredibly clear that we should only transfer 1 embryo. I will forever be grateful for his guidance specifically on that subject. Due to his diligence, my son was born healthy and with no complications, and I am currently pregnant and hoping for the same outcome...He clearly stated expectations and our course of action with compassion and clarity. He listened to our concerns and questions and delicately give an explanation. His positive attitude paired with his expertise were exactly what my family needed each visit. I couldn't recommend a better doctor. We have the utmost respect for Dr. G and had the most positive experience we could have with medical care under the supervision of Dr. G.
Chris [nurse at CCRM Colorado] was dedicated, energetic, knowledgeable, flexible, diligent, and a problem solver. Anytime I called, she would listen intently and immediately have a plan. After I "graduate" from the clinic, I always miss talking to her...the cost CCRM gave at the beginning of the cycle is exactly what I paid. There were no hidden costs associated with my cycle. They were upfront with the cost.
Age
28 - 32
Treated
2014 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
—
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
We trust Dr. G as we would an old friend. He clearly stated expectations and our course of action with compassion and clarity. He listened to our concerns and questions and delicately give an explanation. His positive attitude paired with his expertise were exactly what my family needed each visit. I couldn't recommend a better doctor. We have the utmost respect for Dr. G and had the most positive experience we could have with medical care under the supervision of Dr. G.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
You are fortunate to be in his care.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
My entire family felt heard, valued, and understood. It was a medical experience we've seldom had elsewhere.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Chris)
Chris was dedicated, energetic, knowledgeable, flexible, diligent, and a problem solver. Anytime I called, she would listen intently and immediately have a plan. After I "graduate" from the clinic, I always miss talking to her.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
The entire staff is absolutely impeccable. They are friendly, knowledgeable, and have high standards of communication between patients and staff. Their precise and diligent. When multiple appointments are scheduled, they run seamlessly with little wait time in between. I always leave impressed with their professionalism, yet engaging personalities.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
My insurance did not cover any of the cost of my initial IVF treatment, or my second transfer. Therefore, the cost was high, I'd prefer not to state specifics, but the cost CCRM gave at the beginning of the cycle is exactly what I paid. There were no hidden costs associated with my cycle. They were upfront with the cost.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
Based on my age and health, Dr. G was incredibly clear that we should only transfer 1 embryo. I will forever be grateful for his guidance specifically on that subject. Due to his diligence, my son was born healthy and with no complications, and I am currently pregnant and hoping for the same outcome.
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10
10
Age
42 - 43
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI, 3 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
He [Dr. Robert Gustofson] is honest, kind, and very aware of our specific struggles both emotionally and physically. He communicated exactly what I told him that I needed, and he was available if I ever needed him or his team. Very reliable.... Given I had multiple miscarriages and he had files form 2 prior doctors, he wasnt afraid to go full court press and have me take acai supplements, growth hormone, testosterone, along with the other usual injections.
The clinic [CCRM] is gorgeous, very operationally efficient, and everyone communicates very well to each other. They have orientation that answers all questions, have several areas where specific things are done (lab vs ultrasound, etc) and each section tells the other when they are done so that what could have been a long visit turns out to be very short. Although it may seem like a baby-making factory, it is highly efficient and they know exactly what they are doing. They even have the "extras" like acupuncture and massage etc.
Age
42 - 43
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Middle Eastern
Income
$500K
Occupation
Doctor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 3 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI, 3 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
I actually referred a colleague to him and he was also great with her. He is honest, kind, and very aware of our specific struggles both emotionally and physically. He communicated exactly what I told him that I needed, and he was available if I ever needed him or his team. Very reliable.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
He is very positive, and honest - be prepared for that. He wants you to succeed as much as you do.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
There truly are no words to describe how appreciative we are of the Dr and his nurses/clinic for taking our case and trying everything without fear, and for it to end in success makes it even more special. They were so kind, reliable, and cared so genuinely throughout our process. Given my commute from CA, they were on it! My calendar was known weeks in advance and I only had to travel there 3 times, and they told me exactly what I needed to do via phone and email. Their honesty and positive attitude also went a long way with us.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
Given I had multiple miscarriages and he had files form 2 prior doctors, he wasnt afraid to go full court press and have me take acai supplements, growth hormone, testosterone, along with the other usual injections. The lab at CCRM is amazing and very thorough.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado.
AMAZING!!! They knew exactly what they were doing and ran that clinic more than the doctors did at times. They were reliable and very detail oriented.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
The clinic is gorgeous, very operationally efficient, and everyone communicates very well to each other. They have orientation that answers all questions, have several areas where specific things are done (lab vs ultrasound, etc) and each section tells the other when they are done so that what could have been a long visit turns out to be very short. Although it may seem like a baby-making factory, it is highly efficient and they know exactly what they are doing. They even have the "extras" like acupuncture and massage etc.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
Insurance didnt pay for anything so all was out of pocket and costs similar to other fertility clinics
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
He only allowed for us to transfer one to avoid twinning since that would cause a high risk pregnancy.
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10
10
Age
38 - 39
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
—
10
10
Dr. Gustofson brought the perfect balance of science and humanity. His bedside manner was just what a 7 year infertility patient whose lost hope in her body needs. He has a genuine love of life, people and a passion for what he does. His approach (as well as CCRM's) is super structured, extremely diligent which allows him to move through patient challenges and resolve them in an appropriate timeline. Within 1 day, we had all the answers we needed to correct our 7 year battle.
CCRM has mostly strengths—their super structured, diligent practice delivers results in a reasonable timeline. Infertility is not fast, it is not cheap. I don't believe one can go in thinking it is. CCRM handles the process as perfectly as one can.... We spent around 24k for retrieval & transfer with with CCS. This included all labs and scans for both. Not included was meds which were around 6k. We spent another 10k on surgeries and in-office hysterscopies. Our full day of tests cost around 4-5k. Travel was additional.
Age
38 - 39
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Graphic Designer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
—
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson brought the perfect balance of science and humanity. His bedside manner was just what a 7 year infertility patient whose lost hope in her body needs. He has a genuine love of life, people and a passion for what he does. His approach (as well as CCRM's) is super structured, extremely diligent which allows him to move through patient challenges and resolve them in an appropriate timeline. Within 1 day, we had all the answers we needed to correct our 7 year battle. Dr. Gustofson built a strategic plan that day and for 13 months we followed it diligently. We are currently 11 weeks pregnant. Our success is directly related to his knowledge, diligence and surgical skillset.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Trust him, no matter how much your hope has diminished. There is a reason he requires all the tests he does—they provide him immense knowledge and give him all the tools he needs to make the most educated plan for you. No matter what has happened in your past, trust that he will lead you down the right one.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
After 7 years of infertility, Dr. Gustofson used the perfect balance of science and humanity to treat us. He spent time to get to know my body and both my husband and I. He never gave up or doubted my body's ability to do this even though maybe I had. He restored my faith that this body is capable of miracles.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
When we met with Dr. Gustofson in May of 2017, he diagnosed us with a uterine infection (endometritis), a polyp and a septum (one that was supposidly removed 3 previous times). He created a plan that included—a 2 month treatment to remove inflammation and the infection, then a hysterscopy with septum resection, a follow-up in office hysterscopy to confirm the septum, infection and scar tissue were no longer, a mock cycle to test my responsiveness, a uterine biopsy (Beta 3 Integrins Test), another follow-up in office hysterscopy, a retrieval (midluteal oral estrogen priming antagonist protocol), another follow-up in office hysterscopy with endo scratch and FET (Blast, BCPs/Lupron/Suppository/P4 in Oil QOD.
All procedures were smooth. The most important step we believe was the constant checking of my uterus to confirm what had been done to it, was in fact done and showing the intended results. As a patient who has a thin lining due to multiple D&Cs, this step was essential. I was told previously that I had Asherman's—Dr. Gustofson never mentioned he. He in fact, never was intimidated by my uterus. Baby step, by baby step, he treated it and scrubbed my uterus till it was in the most perfect state. We tested meds till we found the right ones. In fact, we almost did not transfer because there was fluid in my uterus (which had happened in the past) HOWEVER we did because he believed in it. He said the fluid was mucosa and would go away, if not, they'd suction. Well, transfer day is was gone. He was right, AGAIN and we are currently 11 weeks pregnant.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Nurse Sarah)
Nurse Sarah was thoughtful, diligent and the perfect match for my needs. She understand all that we had been through and was understanding when I needed a quick phone chat to run through details, again.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
CCRM has mostly strengths—their super structured, diligent practice delivers results in a reasonable timeline. Infertility is not fast, it is not cheap. I don't believe one can go in thinking it is. CCRM handles the process as perfectly as one can.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
We spent around 24k for retrieval & transfer with with CCS. This included all labs and scans for both. Not included was meds which were around 6k. We spent another 10k on surgeries and in-office hysterscopies. Our full day of tests cost around 4-5k. Travel was additional.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
We transferred 1 very high quality embryo and it worked. Due to thin lining, we felt 1 was best.
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10
10
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, PCOS, Other
10
10
I can't recommend Dr. G [Gustofson] highly enough. I felt like he was 100% committed to getting and keeping me pregnant from the day we first met with him. He has a wonderful sense of humor and great bedside manner...he always explains everything with solid data behind it, and really clearly described every step along the way so that we had a full understand of the treatment, risks, success rates etc. I also appreciated that he was honest with the success rates and only addressed live birth rates, since getting pregnant and having a miscarriage accomplishes nothing but heartbreak. We went through a very difficult period after the egg retrieval where my lining simply wouldn't get thick enough to transfer an embryo, despite every trick in the book. Dr. G never lost faith, and did an unusual protocol for me that they hardly ever do, but he was confident it would work in my situation.
The strengths are their success rates, and the staff. Everyone from the receptionist, to the nurses, to the ultrasound techs, to our doctor, was amazing. ...My one issue with CCRM was the billing department. They are REALLY BAD - we were all self pay, which makes things easy on their end without having to haggle with insurance. Despite that, there were a number of mistakes and issues, including charging us an extra $4k after a transfer for line items they forgot to charge us for.
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
—
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, PCOS, Other
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
I can't recommend Dr. G highly enough. I felt like he was 100% committed to getting and keeping me pregnant from the day we first met with him. He has a wonderful sense of humor and great bedside manner, both of which I knew I needed for this journey. That said, he always explains everything with solid data behind it, and really clearly described every step along the way so that we had a full understand of the treatment, risks, success rates etc. I also appreciated that he was honest with the success rates and only addressed live birth rates, since getting pregnant and having a miscarriage accomplishes nothing but heartbreak. We went through a very difficult period after the egg retrieval where my lining simply wouldn't get thick enough to transfer an embryo, despite every trick in the book. Dr. G never lost faith, and did an unusual protocol for me that they hardly ever do, but he was confident it would work in my situation. It did, and I'm now pregnant! I can't recommend him highly enough if you are just starting out, or have almost given up at other clinics. It is so important to have complete trust in the RE steering the ship for you.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Ask as many questions as you need to feel like you understand your treatment, success rates etc. He is incredibly patient and understanding. He and his wife went through fertility treatment, so I think he understands the anxieties more than most doctors. Another tip? If you're at a crossroads in your treatment, ask him what he would do in your situation if it was him/his wife. He'll give you the real honest answer which can sometimes be different than the doctor answer, and can be a valuable data point to help make your decision.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
I always felt like a person, not a number with Dr. G, despite CCRM being a big clinic. He always had plenty of time to answer our questions, no matter how small or dumb they may have seemed, and also understood the emotional turmoil we were going through. He also treated us as a couple which made my husband and I feel more like a united front in our goal to start a family.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
3 IUI's with increasing amounts of femera - all negative
IVF with gonal-f, menapur, cetratide
No trigger due to possible OHSS - I really appreciated this last minute change
Fertilized with ICSI due to MFI
Freeze all cycle so we could do CCS testing - 14 day 5 embryos
After testing, 13 were normal (he advised against the testing due to my age of 31, we did it for piece of mind)
1st transfer attempt with estrogen priming - cancelled due to thin lining
2nd transfer attempt with increased estrogen, estrogen shots and viagra - proceed with 6.4mm very boarderline lining. Very tough call for both of us. Transferred 1 embryo and test was negative.
3rd transfer attempt - He said he was bringing out the "big guns" with completely different protocol called a Stim FET. I was on gonal-f and cetratide to stimulate my lining with my own estrogen, since my lining got to 8 during my egg retrieval cycle. He also had me do viagra again, and do the Antihistamine protocol of pregnisone, claritin and pepcid in case my immune system was rejecting the embryo. This doozy of meds got me to a 7.2mm lining, and we transferred two embryos. His recommendation was still to do one, but he was willing to do 2 at our request since the lining protocol was so tough for me, and we were ok with the prospect of twins. That cycle worked and I'm now 12 weeks with B/G twins!
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Started with Melissa, transfered to Carolyn after she left)
I started off with a wonderful nurse named Melissa. Right after my first IVF FET transfered failed, she left very abruptly which felt like such a kick in the gut when I was down. Despite that, CCRM seamlessly helped me transition to Carolyn, who was equally as wonderful. She has been a fertility nurse for years and you could tell she knew exactly what she was doing. She was very willing to answer all my endless questions and always got back to me really quickly.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
The strengths are their success rates, and the staff. Everyone from the receptionist, to the nurses, to the ultrasound techs, to our doctor, was amazing. I will say that absolutely get treated at the Lousiville office if you can - they definitely have a better nursing staff and a more friendly vibe than the Lone Tree office (you go there on weekends regardless). My one issue with CCRM was the billing department. They are REALLY BAD - we were all self pay, which makes things easy on their end without having to haggle with insurance. Despite that, there were a number of mistakes and issues, including charging us an extra $4k after a transfer for line items they forgot to charge us for. I have heard they have hired someone new to hopefully improve things, so just know that the billing side will be tough. The quality of the care far outweighs the frustrations with the billing however!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
All in start to finish, we spent about $65k.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
He very strongly pushes for eSET for the first transfer if your prognosis is good. The general rule at CCRM is two single transfers with CCS embryos, then doing a double transfer if both fail. In our case we were so wrecked after the first failure, and the drugs I had to take for each transfer attempt were essentially all the IVF stim meds (with the associated cost as well) that he didn't have a problem with our request to transfer 2 embryos on our second try. For reference, all our transfers were with CCS tested embryos. He was honest about the risks of multiples and the goal for one healthy baby. He's not interested in you "trying" for twins, and he's absolutely right. But, if you get to the point where its just not happening, he's absolutely willing to adjust course and put in more than 1.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Lost or damaged samples
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10
9
Age
42 - 44
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
3 Egg Freezing, 3 Embryo Freezing, Donor Eggs, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Other
10
9
I would highly recommend Dr. G [Gustofson]. He was honest about the odds, but still could be very personable and warm. I never felt rushed and could always ask as many questions as I needed to feel comfortable. He was also very available via the clinic's portal and answered emails within 1 business day. There were also a few occasions when he called me to discuss my situation.... Being over 40 years old with no other challenges, he tried a typical protocol for retrieval.
The strength is the empathy and compassion that the majority of the staff [CCRM Colorado] have for their patients. Regardless of who I interacted with during my many visits over a year and a half, the staff were great. As challenging and emotional as this process can be, it's nice to have caring staff to work with. I also feel their counseling staff were amazing.... $60,000 for embryo banking plan (3 cycles) plus one FET
Age
42 - 44
Treated
2016 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European, Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 Egg Freezing, 3 Embryo Freezing, Donor Eggs, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Other
10
9
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
I would highly recommend Dr. G. He was honest about the odds, but still could be very personable and warm. I never felt rushed and could always ask as many questions as I needed to feel comfortable. He was also very available via the clinic's portal and answered emails within 1 business day. There were also a few occasions when he called me to discuss my situation. I appreciated the personal touches. I would have no concerns about recommending him to anyone.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Always ask questions. He will share all of his knowledge and expertise.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G is a warm and caring individual and always made me feel like a human. It was his personality and affect that would help to soften the blow of bad news.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
Being over 40 years old with no other challenges, he tried a typical protocol for retrieval. When I'd ovulated prior to retrieval, he switched up the protocol and monitored more closely to prevent premature ovulation. That second cycle didn't produce the desired amount of eggs. He'd then recommended embryo banking. The next two cycles were more successful given the changes he'd made to encourage more eggs. Unfortunately PGS testing revealed that age contributed negatively and all tested embryos were abnormal.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Monica)
From the start, Monica was very helpful and a great support through my 4 cycles. She was very caring and understanding and great about answering my many questions. All was excellent with Monica until my embryos were sent for PGS testing. There was a snafu and lack of communication that most likely began with Monica. It was not resolved until I pushed and pushed. It caused many days of heartache and unnecessary stress.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
The strength is the empathy and compassion that the majority of the staff have for their patients. Regardless of who I interacted with during my many visits over a year and a half, the staff were great. As challenging and emotional as this process can be, it's nice to have caring staff to work with. I also feel their counseling staff were amazing.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
$60,000 for embryo banking plan (3 cycles) plus one FET
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
I appreciated that Dr. G was able to regroup after each cycle to come up with a game plan that worked for me.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Failed to order appropriate test
- Failed to convey critical information
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10
10
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
PCOS, Unexplained
10
10
He [Dr. Gustofson] is great in every way. Explains things in a simple way. Great, funny, professional personality. Answers every question. I never felt like "just a number"... Couldn't ask for a better provider for our journey. He is great in every way. I have no complaints about him as a provider. He is compassionate about what he does and wants to best possible outcome for his patients. Eases my anxiety about this journey and focuses on my needs for treatment.
Clinic itself [CCRM] is great. Answers every question in a timely manner. Is flexible with scheduling. Everyone is respectful. Their business office is difficult to work with. Impossible to contact over the phone. Leave messages and nobody calls back. When you use the patient portal to email them, it takes days to hear back. This makes it hard because finances are a huge part of this process and this can become very stressful, especially when you are already dealing with stress from treatments.
Age
31 - 32
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
PCOS, Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Couldn't ask for a better provider for our journey. He is great in every way. I have no complaints about him as a provider. He is compassionate about what he does and wants to best possible outcome for his patients. Eases my anxiety about this journey and focuses on my needs for treatment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
He is great in every way. Explains things in a simple way. Great, funny, professional personality. Answers every question. I never felt like "just a number"
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
IUI x 3 with letrozole - 5 days at 5 mg. Injection of pregnyl or novarel for trigger. Several ultrasounds throughout. Follow up as needed depending on test results. 1-2 mature follicles for each round.
Negative pregnancy tests x 3 but I responded well to the medications and changes he made along the way based on test results.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Melissa)
We were assigned to Melissa, who was the best nurse we could have asked for with this process. Unfortunately she quit after our third IUI.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
Clinic itself is great. Answers every question in a timely manner. Is flexible with scheduling. Everyone is respectful.
Their business office is difficult to work with. Impossible to contact over the phone. Leave messages and nobody calls back. When you use the patient portal to email them, it takes days to hear back. This makes it hard because finances are a huge part of this process and this can become very stressful, especially when you are already dealing with stress from treatments.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
Our costs were affordable as my insurance covers 50% IUI, labs, other tests. It does not cover IVF so we won't be able to afford that.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
NA
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Failed to convey critical information
- Read less
Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
29 - 30
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
7 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
10
Dr Gustofson was very thorough and knowledgeable. You can tell he loves what he does and understands how emotionally draining the process is. We always felt comfortable and in good hands. We had 2 transfers that ended in miscarriage. As heartbreaking as that was, we never felt like Dr Gustofson was to blame.... I had a blood test that came back elevated in a certain area which meant my blood was too thick. So after each transfer I took daily injections of Lovenox to thin it out and prevent blood clots. With the 2nd transfer they did an antihistamine protocol which included a steroid, allergy med, and heartburn med.
The office [CCRM Colorado] is very polite, professional, and respectful. The only issues I had was when I had to talk to someone after hours. The on call person doesn’t know you or you’re background info very well so they’re not very helpful. They just do the best they can.... The egg retrevial, monitoring, and transfer were one payment of about 25,000. The second transfer was 6,500.... Testing and bloodwork was covered under insurance. We only had to pay 5%of those costs.
Age
29 - 30
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 3 Docs
Treatment
7 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
PCOS
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr Gustofson was very thorough and knowledgeable. You can tell he loves what he does and understands how emotionally draining the process is. We always felt comfortable and in good hands. We had 2 transfers that ended in miscarriage. As heartbreaking as that was, we never felt like Dr Gustofson was to blame. We’ve had several Doctors that we felt it was more about the money to them and we were just a number. We have never felt that way with him. He came highly recommended to me and I would recommend him to anyone looking for a fertility specialist.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
If you’re ready to make the IVF jump, you can fully trust Dr Gustofson and his team. It’s a scary journey and you should feel confident in your Dr. You will find that with him.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr Gustofson is a very kind man who treated me and my husband like real people that he cares about.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
I had a blood test that came back elevated in a certain area which meant my blood was too thick. So after each transfer I took daily injections of Lovenox to thin it out and prevent blood clots. With the 2nd transfer they did an antihistamine protocol which included a steroid, allergy med, and heartburn med. It is a protocol they follow if the first transfer was unsuccessful. After both miscarriages they had me come in for bloodwork and an ultrasound to make sure everything had passed and my hormone levels were returning to normal. With the first miscarriage Dr Gustofson said he thought it was a fluke and the embryo had a cardio or neurological problem. But after the second miscarriage he said he thinks there is something else besides the PCOS going on with my body and they need to do more testing. He doesn’t want to keep doing transfers when obviously something is wrong.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Carolyn )
She is very thorough and if she isn’t sure on anything she asks the doctor and gets right back to me.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
The office is very polite, professional, and respectful. The only issues I had was when I had to talk to someone after hours. The on call person doesn’t know you or you’re background info very well so they’re not very helpful. They just do the best they can.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
Testing and bloodwork was covered under insurance. We only had to pay 5%of those costs. Each medication varied expense wise. Some were under $50 and others were a couple hundred dollars. In total they probably cost about $800. The egg retrevial, monitoring, and transfer were one payment of about 25,000. The second transfer was 6,500.
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10
10
Age
27 - 28
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
5 IUI
Diagnosis
Endometriosis
10
10
Dr. Gustafson is wonderful. He is extremely knowledgeable and makes you feel very comfortable.... Each time that I have met with him, I haven't felt rushed and I have felt like he allowed me to get all of my questions answered no matter how long it took. He always takes notes and provides the notes to me in the end....He also gives you his honest opinion every time without sugar coating anything, but does so in a compassionate manner.
Our nurse, Annalise, is extremely compassionate and really goes above and beyond for you. The other members of the nursing team have also been great. This clinic [CCRM- Louisville] truly choses the best of the best in nurses....They seem to be much higher in cost than other clinics...it doesn't seem like they try to save you money by not doing treatments that aren't completely necessary. This clinic has so many strengths. They are extremely organized and knowledgeable and you are treated with so much respect and compassion.
Age
27 - 28
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$0 - $49K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 3 Docs
Treatment
5 IUI
Diagnosis
Endometriosis
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustafson is wonderful. He is extremely knowledgeable and makes you feel very comfortable. It is obvious that he truly wants success for you, and will do everything in his power to make that happen. Each time that I have met with him, I haven't felt rushed and I have felt like he allowed me to get all of my questions answered no matter how long it took. He always takes notes and provides the notes to me in the end. That way if I forget something that he said, I can look back at the notes. He also gives you his honest opinion every time without sugar coating anything, but does so in a compassionate manner. I could not be happier with my experience with Dr. Gustafson so far.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Seeing a doctor who truly cares about you and your treatment like Dr. Gustafson does is worth every penny.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustafson is very compassionate. He takes the time to make sure that you are comfortable with the treatment plan and takes the time to address any questions that you have. He really goes above and beyond for his patients to help them through the difficult process of trying to conceive. He and his wife have been through IVF, so he knows first hand what you are going through.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
I am still in the workup stage of an IVF cycle with Dr. Gustafson. He has told me that once I begin the IVF cycle, he will be doing an antagonist protocol with ICSI and CCS.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Annalise Eaton)
Our nurse, Annalise, is extremely compassionate and really goes above and beyond for you. The other members of the nursing team have also been great. This clinic truly choses the best of the best in nurses. Their patients are experiences a very difficult and emotional process and it is extremely important for them to have compassionate nurses.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
This clinic is considered one of the best in the country with high success rates, extremely knowlegable staff and doctors, and state of the art clinics and equipment. This also comes with a high price tag. One weakness of this clinic are it's costs for services. They seem to be much higher in cost than other clinics but I truly believe that you get what you pay for. Another weakness I feel is that their costs are or clearly outlined so that you know exactly what you will be paying ahead of time and it doesn't seem like they try to save you money by not doing treatments that aren't completely necessary.
This clinic has so many strengths. They are extremely organized and knowledgeable and you are treated with so much respect and compassion.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
The totally costs for my treatment are expected to be around $28,000.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
Dr. Gustofson typically uses eSET but will do a transfer of two embryos on some occasions.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
38
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 IUI, 3 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality
10
10
Dr. Gustofson is so personable, he has excellent bed side manner, I feel he truly cares about outcomes....He was excellent at answering all questions we had and also gave us hope. He did not make promises he could not keep, he did not sugar coat anything but he communicated in such a friendly and caring way. He is excellent.... For our first cycle we used high dose medications, menopur/gonal-f, clomid, omnitrope, ganirelix, and viagra.
The clinic has a reputation for an excellent lab. The clinic also has support services, like counseling. We used this service when we first arrived to CCRM from another clinic with a horrific experience. The last place was so traumatizing it made us scared to move forward. The counselor was wonderful and helped us communicate our fears and concerns and gave us excellent resources....The cost of ER was around 12,000. The cost for embryology department was around 5,000.
Age
38
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Doctor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 3 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI, 3 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
From the moment we walked into CCRM we felt like we were finally in the right place. He was excellent at answering all questions we had and also gave us hope. He did not make promises he could not keep, he did not sugar coat anything but he communicated in such a friendly and caring way. He is excellent.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
If you openly communicate what you would like, whether it is changes in plan or choices he will be open to this and he is excellent at receiving feedback.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson is so personable, he has excellent bed side manner, I feel he truly cares about outcomes.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
For our first cycle we used high dose medications, menopur/gonal-f, clomid, omnitrope, ganirelix, and viagra. We got 4 follicles more than we ever had before. This cycle I asked if we could adjust to less medications and do "mini-stim" and he was open to this.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Aiyana)
All of the staff at CCRM is amazing. We always feel everyone is looking out for us and we both (my husband and I) do not feel like cattle be herding through. We do not feel like a number here. It is an excellent place.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
The clinic has a reputation for an excellent lab. The clinic also has support services, like counseling. We used this service when we first arrived to CCRM from another clinic with a horrific experience. The last place was so traumatizing it made us scared to move forward. The counselor was wonderful and helped us communicate our fears and concerns and gave us excellent resources.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
The cost of ER was around 12,000. The cost for embryology department was around 5,000. This is a rough estimate. They did give us a discount for being active duty military.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
We have not got to the point of transfer so I can not say.
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10
9
Age
40 - 43
Treated
2015 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
8 Embryo Freezing, IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality
10
9
Dr. Gustofson is always smiling. He was always patient and took time to answer all my questions. I never felt rushed. Dr. Gustofson does not speak down to you or try to dumb things down - he’ll answer your questions scientifically and wait for additional questions. For me, this gave me a great deal of confidence in his knowledge and experience. His bedside manner is second to none. He is calming and kind at all times. If I had to include a weakness, it would be his support (and maybe experience) with complementary practices such as acupuncture, reiki and yoga. I’m a yoga instructor so I may be a bit biased, but I think meditation and fertility yoga should be more highly emphasized. But otherwise, Dr. G was the best I could have asked for.
It’s a beautiful clinic [CCRM-Lone Tree] and they’re quite professional and friendly. Strengths are expertise and quality. Weaknesses are providing all information effectively. The docs are great at communicating, but sometimes I felt the nurses and front desk staff didn’t explain things clearly. Or would point to this tiny font at the bottom of a page somewhere and say “Oh that info is right here. You didn’t see it?” Meanwhile you’re hopped up on fertility drugs and just trying to make it through the day. So perhaps empathy is also a bit of an issue with front desk staff and nursing staff. But all in all, a positive experience and I always had confidence that I was getting the best treatment possible in the worl
Age
40 - 43
Treated
2015 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
8 Embryo Freezing, IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality
10
9
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson is always smiling. He was always patient and took time to answer all my questions. I never felt rushed. Dr. Gustofson does not speak down to you or try to dumb things down - he’ll answer your questions scientifically and wait for additional questions. For me, this gave me a great deal of confidence in his knowledge and experience.
His bedside manner is second to none. He is calming and kind at all times.
If I had to include a weakness, it would be his support (and maybe experience) with complementary practices such as acupuncture, reiki and yoga. I’m a yoga instructor so I may be a bit biased, but I think meditation and fertility yoga should be more highly emphasized.
But otherwise, Dr. G was the best I could have asked for.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Feel free to come up with, and ask, as many questions as you need to. He will never make you feel dumb for asking or rushed out of his office.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson was always friendly and kind and spent as much time as needed to answer all our questions. He remembered previous conversations months later and you always felt like he cared. His wife also went through similar treatment and this makes him very relatable and vice versa.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
Microflare protocol with patches.
Estrace
Testosterone
Provera
Lupron
Saizen
Menopur
Gonal-F
Increased egg production since I had low ovarian reserve and low follicle count.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Kathryn)
I had an amazing primary care nurse named Lesley but she left to another job. Then I got another nurse named Joanna who was a terrible communicator, not organized at all and made me feel very nervous that things were being missed. I requested that my doc assign me a different primary care nurse. I was assigned to another (who then left) and finally to Kathryn who was great.
He nursing team works very cooperatively and I would often get calls from other nurses but didn’t mind at all.
The one thing that could be improved is that each nurse only works 4 days a week, so if you have an emergency on their day off, it’s a little nerve-wracking, even though one of the other nurses will call you back with answers... it would still be nice to have access to your primary are nurse at least 5 days a week.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
It’s a beautiful clinic and they’re quite professional and friendly. Strengths are expertise and quality. Weaknesses are providing all information effectively. The docs are great at communicating, but sometimes I felt the nurses and front desk staff didn’t explain things clearly. Or would point to this tiny font at the bottom of a page somewhere and say “Oh that info is right here. You didn’t see it?” Meanwhile you’re hopped up on fertility drugs and just trying to make it through the day. So perhaps empathy is also a bit of an issue with front desk staff and nursing staff.
But all in all, a positive experience and I always had confidence that I was getting the best treatment possible in the world.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
Pricey
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10
9
Age
37
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
9
Dr. G [Gustofson] evaluated all of our tests individually, determined a plan specific to our needs and did our transfer when my body was ready. It wasn’t a one size fits all plan. He was always available for questions and never made you feel like you were a burden. He always made sure you understood each step of the way. He was caring and compassionate and very calming and reassuring.... He never rushed us through an appointment, made sure we understood everything, he was always free for questions and quick to respond via the patient portal.
I would say the clinic [CCRM] overall is amazing, especially compared to the clinic I was previously at. They are all very nice, helpful and caring. The clinic seems to be a well oiled machine. The only issues I had were miscommunication between the doctors and the doctors and nurses. In addition to the protocol mix up and the miscommunication between my normal nurse and someone filling in for her, there was also miscommunication between the doctors. I was suppose to have a polp removed during my egg retrieval, but the day of my retrieval fell on a day where Dr. G was not in and another doctor did my retrieval and she said she did not see the polyp and it was not removed.
Age
37
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
4 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
9
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G was amazing. Being a health care professional, it was very important to me to have the best and he was. He never rushed us through an appointment, made sure we understood everything, he was always free for questions and quick to respond via the patient portal. He was caring, compassionate, empathetic, incredibly smart and a great problem solver.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Just to make sure to double check if you are not sure about something or if something doesn’t sound right. Sometimes there is a break down in communication between the doctors and the doctors and nurses.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G evaluated all of our tests individually, determined a plan specific to our needs and did our transfer when my body was ready. It wasn’t a one size fits all plan. He was always available for questions and never made you feel like you were a burden. He always made sure you understood each step of the way. He was caring and compassionate and very calming and reassuring.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
For stim-estrace, cetrotide, menopur, gonal-f, saizen, dexamethsone with pregnyl for trigger.
For FET-vivelle, endometrin, progesterone and antihistamine protocol. I did not use BCP or lupron because I kept ovulating through both.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Monica)
My primary nurse was great. She was compassionate, understanding, returned calls same day. I had issues however, with miscommunication between her and the other nurses when she was gone. I also had an issue where the doctor gave me a new protocol and she gave me a different one than he wanted. If I wouldn’t have questioned it, I would have been on the wrong FET protocol.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
I would say the clinic overall is amazing, especially compared to the clinic I was previously at. They are all very nice, helpful and caring. The clinic seems to be a well oiled machine. The only issues I had were miscommunication between the doctors and the doctors and nurses. In addition to the protocol mix up and the miscommunication between my normal nurse and someone filling in for her, there was also miscommunication between the doctors. I was suppose to have a polp removed during my egg retrieval, but the day of my retrieval fell on a day where Dr. G was not in and another doctor did my retrieval and she said she did not see the polyp and it was not removed. I then had to go back again and have it removed later without anesthesia and had to pay again to have it done.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
We paid $5000 for our one day work up, $26,000 for the IVF, $12,000 for meds.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
Due to my age and quality of embryos, we decided to just do one embryo.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
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10
10
Age
35
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, PCOS
10
10
He [Dr. Gustofson] took his time to thoroughly explain everything and every step to us and used layman’s terms we would also understand. He also took the time to call me with the genetic results and was very candid during the conversation. He made sure I felt comfortable and well informed throughout the whole process.... I have nothing bad to say about him. He made us feel very comfortable throughout the whole process. We have since moved out of state but will go back to him when we are ready to have our second child.
The Louisville office is amazing with very supportive staff. CCRM’s business office is a very different story. They were not helpful and I had to call and email multiple times regarding the same issue. I felt with a few different people who never seemed to know the whole story about what went on in the office. Dealing with them was the worst part of the whole experience.... We also had to pay everything up front and file claims with our insurance for what we could.
Age
35
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
—
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
3rd of 3 Docs
Treatment
1 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, PCOS
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
I have nothing bad to say about him. He made us feel very comfortable throughout the whole process. We have since moved out of state but will go back to him when we are ready to have our second child. There is another location that would be much closer, but it isn’t in consideration because we love him and the office so much
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Trust what he says. He knows what he is talking about and can answer any concerns you may have.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
He took his time to thoroughly explain everything and every step to us and used layman’s terms we would also understand. He also took the time to call me with the genetic results and was very candid during the conversation. He made sure I felt comfortable and well informed throughout the whole process.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
We were one of the lucky ones where the whole process seemed to move right on track, but I am dealing with mommy brain and some of the process I really don’t remember. I just remember that we were beyond pleased with everything he said and did.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Melissa )
Melissa was a major rock for me. She saw me each and every time is was in, even if it was just a blood draw. I spoke to her many times on the phone also. During our conversations she did JSU focus on how is was doing physically but mentally also. I remember one time, when everything was so stressful, breaking down and she just listened. She never made it seem like she didn’t have time or needed to move on to the next person. She was the nurse work at the Lone Tree location when we went in for the blood draw for our pregnancy results and was the one to call us with the good news. She even cried on the phone with us because she was so happy. We found out, after our move and birth of our daughter, that she has since left and we were sad to hear, but trust the other nurses we saw there. It just won’t be the same without Melissa.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
The Louisville office is amazing with very supportive staff. CCRM’s business office is a very different story. They were not helpful and I had to call and email multiple times regarding the same issue. I felt with a few different people who never seemed to know the whole story about what went on in the office. Dealing with them was the worst part of the whole experience.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
At the time we had insurance coverage, but parts of their billing was out of next work so we had to file claims without insurance. We also had to pay everything up front and file claims with our insurance for what we could. This is were the issues with the billing office started. In the end we only ended up getting back about half of what we should have do to one issue or another.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
He was will to do what we wanted, but highly recommended doing only a single. He explained that while the percentage of a pregnancy that would take from a multiple embryo transfer, the percentage for multiple babies was also greater. This would put more of a strain on my and our babies which could possibly cause more issues. He looks at your overall health instead of padding his stats for pregnancies.
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10
10
Age
39
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
Dr. Gustofson personally called with all results from CCS testing, he called to congratulate us when we got a positive beta result. He allowed us to email him directly at any time with any questions and his response time was quick. Each time we met with him it was clear he had taken time to review our records and knew our situation, even remembering personal details...He's straightforward, honest, doesn't sugar coat things and leaves room for hope if there is a possibility of hope. He has a good sense of humor and genuinely cares about his patients and their success.
[The nurses CCRM Colorado are] Very much on top of ordering medication, walking me through dates on our retrieval and transfer calendar, ensuring all appts were made and steps I needed to take were clear. Very compassionate and caring...[Dr. Gustofson] strongly recommended a single embryo transfer, which brought us relief as we were worried about the risks of multiples and he brought those up as concerns on his end as well.
Age
39
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Teacher
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
We absolutely love Dr. G and would recommend him in a heartbeat. He's straightforward, honest, doesn't sugar coat things and leaves room for hope if there is a possibility of hope. He has a good sense of humor and genuinely cares about his patients and their success.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Ask questions, don't be afraid to email him directly.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson personally called with all results from CCS testing, he called to congratulate us when we got a positive beta result. He allowed us to email him directly at any time with any questions and his response time was quick. Each time we met with him it was clear he had taken time to review our records and knew our situation, even remembering personal details.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
I was on the MicroFlare Lupron protocol with Omnitrope and estrogen and testosterone priming. We did this for two cycles and got a total of 4 normal embryos.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Annalise)
Very much on top of ordering medication, walking me through dates on our retrieval and transfer calendar, ensuring all appts were made and steps I needed to take were clear. Very compassionate and caring.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
CCRM has an amazing lab, I had two other doctors perform procedures (other than my doctor -- Barton and Surrey) and they were both amazing.... great bedside manner, clear explanations of what to expect, great results both times. The billing office was the only weakness I encountered with the clinic and lately it seems to have gotten better, I heard they've hired more people and response times/quality of responses seems to have improved. The billing is confusing, though many aspects of medical billing can be confusing.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
Dr. G strongly recommended a single embryo transfer, which brought us relief as we were worried about the risks of multiples and he brought those up as concerns on his end as well.
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1
1
Age
40
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality, Unexplained
1
1
He [Dr. Gustofson] was nice enough during testing but once my numbers revealed I wouldn't be a good candidate for IVF (and I was not inclined to use a Donor Egg ) he grew cold and no longer returned emails. He was compassionate when he revealed I had poor egg health but then immediately launched into Donor Egg and adoption without even giving the option of IVF, even if we knew it would be "throwing away" our money.
Lots of patients, nice facilities, good locations. BUT they [CCRM] are all about keeping their success numbers high and making MONEY. If you don't fit their treatment profile or can't afford the procedures you can forget any help or compassion from the staff. Also, would not file claims with insurance--sent forms to me and made me do it. All other clinics I've been to at least did the filing with insurance, even if insurance declined to pay for some treatments.
Age
40
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality, Unexplained
1
1
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
He was nice enough during testing but once my numbers revealed I wouldn't be a good candidate for IVF (and I was not inclined to use a Donor Egg ) he grew cold and no longer returned emails. He was compassionate when he revealed I had poor egg health but then immediately launched into Donor Egg and adoption without even giving the option of IVF, even if we knew it would be "throwing away" our money.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
I assume he's great if you fit his profile for a successful IVF; otherwise, you will get no help from him. Look for someone else who is actually willing to treat you, regardless of whether it is good for THEIR numbers.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
They only seemed interested in me if I fit their profile for successful IVF and could pay their outrageous fees. They were not very forthcoming with info--I had to ask multiple times to have test results sent--and did not always respond to emails.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
After being told IVF was not an option due to poor egg health, they then said I could do IUI if I wanted to pay. If my numbers aren't good enough for IVF, why would they be ok for IUI?! (Because they don't have to report IUI numbers to the CDC and are more than happy to take your money if there is no risk to their reputation.)
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado.
Incredibly bossy and not very forthcoming with information. I had to ask for copies of test results several times and double check that correct ones were sent.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
Lots of patients, nice facilities, good locations. BUT they are all about keeping their success numbers high and making MONEY. If you don't fit their treatment profile or can't afford the procedures you can forget any help or compassion from the staff. Also, would not file claims with insurance--sent forms to me and made me do it. All other clinics I've been to at least did the filing with insurance, even if insurance declined to pay for some treatments.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Failed to call with results
- Provided conflicting information
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
41 - 42
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, PCOS, Poor Egg Quality, Uterine Fibroids
10
10
Dr. G [Gustofson] was personable and available to answer any and all questions. During our interactions, he always acted like we were his main focus and never seemed rushed...At the age of 40, with PCOS, one ovary and very low egg response to three -four previous IVF attempts at a different clinic, Dr. G recommended donor eggs and ICSI. I also had to have a uterine fibroid removed prior to transfer,..He explained everything thoroughly, answered all questions and reassured us we were in good hands
CCRM's strengths: Knowledgeable doctors, fabulous lab, central location, well-educated staff, and they get results. Weaknesses: Their business office... their business office made everything so painful. Their billing statements and amounts were often incorrect, it was impossible to get anyone on the phone and on the rare occurrence someone was reached, it was hard to get an accurate answer...My nurse Kristi was amazing. She was on top of all the details, knew what my next steps were, and was fabulous about communicating everything. I would have been so lost without her help!
Age
41 - 42
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Native American
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Marketer or PR
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, PCOS, Poor Egg Quality, Uterine Fibroids
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G is personable, kind, empathetic, caring, knowledgeable and a terrific doctor. He explained everything thoroughly, answered all questions and reassured us we were in good hands. He is the reason we chose CCRM.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Be upfront with your goals and any preconceived notions. Dr. G will help you understand if they are realistic but he will do so in a kind, compassionate manner.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G was personable and available to answer any and all questions. During our interactions, he always acted like we were his main focus and never seemed rushed.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
At the age of 40, with PCOS, one ovary and very low egg response to three -four previous IVF attempts at a different clinic, Dr. G recommended donor eggs and ICSI. I also had to have a uterine fibroid removed prior to transfer, which was not previously diagnosed at the other clinic.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Kristi Bishop)
My nurse Kristi was amazing. She was on top of all the details, knew what my next steps were, and was fabulous about communicating everything. I would have been so lost without her help!
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
CCRM's strengths: Knowledgeable doctors, fabulous lab, central location, well-educated staff, and they get results.
Weaknesses: Their business office. If CCRM didn't get results, I would not have done business with them because their business office made everything so painful. Their billing statements and amounts were often incorrect, it was impossible to get anyone on the phone and on the rare occurrence someone was reached, it was hard to get an accurate answer. I know I am not alone in issues with the billing department/business office. The other issue is that everything has to be sent via fax and there were a few times I was told that CCRM hadn't received info from my local monitoring clinic, when the local clinic had sent (and had proof) and CCRM later discovered it. This caused undue stress and made several local clinics cancel local monitoring for CCRM patients.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
For all procedures, meds, two transfers and donor, the cost was around $40,000.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
Dr. G helped us decide to transfer only one embryo based on my age and potential for risks.
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10
10
Age
33
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Unexplained
10
10
Dr. G[ustofson] somehow was both gentle and very honest when talking to us about our chances of success. We had the utmost faith in his abilities when treating us - we felt like he was extremely knowledgeable, experienced and a top caliber physician. Even if we didn't see him at one of the routine lab appointments, he still reviewed our results and gave notes to the nurse, which made it feel like he was there every single step of the way.
I'd definitely recommend for patients to go to the Louisville office [of CCRM] rather than Lone Tree. We had all of our regular appointments at Louisville and it was nice to get to know the staff. It was consistently the same team at the front desk, for blood draws, ultrasounds, and I was able to meet with Chris almost every time. We had to go to the Lonetree office for a few weekend Ultrasounds + labs, as well as the retrieval and transfer procedures and I could see how it could feel a bit more like a factory and less personal.
Age
33
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, Middle Eastern
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Marketer or PR
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G somehow was both gentle and very honest when talking to us about our chances of success. We had the utmost faith in his abilities when treating us -
we felt like he was extremely knowledgeable, experienced and a top caliber physician. Even if we didn't see him at one of the routine lab appointments, he still reviewed our results and gave notes to the nurse, which made it feel like he was there every single step of the way.
In retrospect, the only thing that stood out as sort of challenging was us not fully knowing what would happen if things didn't go according to plan. To be totally fair - this was to keep us focused on the plan successfully working rather than potentially needlessly worrying. For example - When we were gearing up for the frozen transfer and selected the embryo to transfer, I asked what would happen if this one didn't take. He assured me that there was a plan B (and wouldn't reveal what it was), but wanted me to be focused on plan A succeeding.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G is very happy to answer questions and to meet with you. Take advantage of this.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
The very first appointment we had with Dr. G started with us talking about our mutual home state of Florida, and how much we all loved Colorado, snow and skiing. It was nice to get to know him a little bit on a personal level before diving into our case. It also was very clear that he had spent some time reviewing our medical records that were transferred over to his office - he knew our history before we even walked in to his office. Every time he saw us, he knew who we were, gave us a warm smile and handshake, and brought up non-medical things we had chatted about at our previous visits.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
OCP Antagonist protocol with the goal of fresh embryo transfer. We ended up just going through egg retrieval and not doing a fresh transfer since my estrogen levels were through the roof and I was at risk for OHSS. Protocol included ~2 weeks of birth control, followed by stim meds. Those were Menopur in the morning, Gonal F + dexamethasone at night. Then after 5 days I added in Cetrotide in the mornings for another 5 days. For the trigger I ended up not needing Lupron and just did an injection of HCG. I also was on antibiotics around time of egg retrieval. They retrieved 30 eggs, which was a great number. I was hoping for 20-25. About 15 of them fertilized (half with ICSI, half on their own) and 8 looked good by day 5 and went into the freezer.
We then had to wait for me to start my period (took about ~12 days if I remember correctly), and on day 3 of my cycle i started birth control pills again for about ~2 weeks to kick off a Frozen Transfer cycle. This cycle started with estrogen patches (Vivelle) which i swapped out every other day. Then after about 10 days I started Endometrin (progesterone) vaginal suppositories 2x a day, Medrol, Estrace, Doxycycline and a intramuscular Progesterone in Oil injection every other day up til transfer (about 6 days of this regiment).
We transferred 1 frozen embryo and continued on the patches, endometrin, estrace, and progesterone in oil. 10 days later I went in for a pregnancy blood test and found out that afternoon that we were pregnant. I am currently 9 weeks pregnant and have just received instructions for weaning off the meds, and expect to be totally finished with them in about a week and a half.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Chris)
Chris was very kind, compassionate, and was totally our cheerleader. She was very on top of our treatment cycles and also was very prompt at answering questions and calling with our lab results. We couldn't ask for a better nurse.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
If it's not too much trouble distance-wise, I'd definitely recommend for patients to go to the Louisville office rather than Lone Tree. We had all of our regular appointments at Louisville and it was nice to get to know the staff. It was consistently the same team at the front desk, for blood draws, ultrasounds, and I was able to meet with Chris almost every time. We had to go to the Lonetree office for a few weekend Ultrasounds + labs, as well as the retrieval and transfer procedures and I could see how it could feel a bit more like a factory and less personal.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
Our fresh embryo transfer through Optum Parent Steps program (a program offered through our Insurance agency United Healthcare) cost about $14,000.
Medications for the fresh transfer were about $3500.
Our Frozen Embryo Transfer (also through Optum Parent Steps) cost $4500.
Medications for the frozen transfer were about $600, and once I was pregnant the meds were another $1200 to last me through week 10 (at which time I weaned off).
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
Very strongly encouraged eSET. Said our chances of success was about 70% for SET due to my age (under 35) and the quality grade of our embryo (4AB), and that our risk of multiples was very high if we transferred 2 (like 60% chance of twins). He positioned it like "The ASRM guidelines recommend 1 embryo to transfer since you have a favorable prognosis, so we're going to transfer 1 embryo right?". I had considered transferring two because we were so desperate for a baby but I'm so so glad we followed the recommendation and transferred one.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Lost appointments
- Failed to order appropriate test
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9
10
Age
37 - 38
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality, Unexplained
9
10
He [Dr. Robert Gustofson] recommended ICSI to give us the best odds of fertilization (since we've never had a positive pregnancy test and don't know where the problem is occurring). He also recommended CCS testing followed by an FET given my age (38) and to give us the best odds of a pregnancy the first time around...Since doing two egg retrievals and one (successful) FET with Dr. G, I began to feel more of a rapport. You see the doctor more often during the IVF process and he calls personally with results of CCS testing. I found him to be empathetic and caring during the IVF process.
You don't always get to speak to your assigned nurse [at CCRM], but overall I've had a good experience with most of the nurses I've interacted with. I didn't run into any problems with communicating - everyone emails or calls back in a short amount of time. And for the most part, the nurses all have positive attitudes, which makes a huge difference given how difficult and emotional this process is...I think the initial testing was $4K; we spent around $5-6K on three IUIs. We spent about $50-60K for two rounds of IVF/ICSI/CCS and one FET (including medications).
Age
37 - 38
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Lawyer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality, Unexplained
9
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G is young-ish (I'd say early 40s). He is a nice man and clearly strives to be compassionate towards his patients. He is very knowledgeable and I rarely felt that a question I had that wasn't answered to my satisfaction. He goes into each consultation with lots of information, so usually most of my questions were answered by his initial spiel. We picked him because we wanted to go with CCRM and heard that he had a better bedside manner than Schoolcraft or Surrey. Overall, I'm happy with our choice.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
This may sound a little strange, but come armed with some ice-breaker small talk before your initial consultation appointment. The first time we met with him, he tried to ask us questions to break the ice, but we were so tired, overwhelmed, and nervous that his attempt fell flat as a pancake. He clearly really wants to connect with his patients and make sure their experience is pleasant, but he's not a super gregarious guy. We like him, but have never felt a great rapport and I wonder if we would feel differently if we had been able to make a personal connection during this first visit. Also - this is true of all CCRM doctors - but you won't see him much. But, if you have questions, he's very good about responding to emails. He's responded to all of my email questions within 24 hours.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G is a very nice man and a good doctor. He acknowledges the emotional piece of the process and has shared with us that he and his wife did IVF to conceive their first child. I still haven't felt an amazing rapport with him, but that's partly because most of our interactions at CCRM are with the nurses, not the doctor.
UPDATE: Since doing two egg retrievals and one (successful) FET with Dr. G, I began to feel more of a rapport. You see the doctor more often during the IVF process and he calls personally with results of CCS testing. I found him to be empathetic and caring during the IVF process.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
I have unexplained infertility, with the only known issue is a short luteal phase. We started out with Clomid + IUI (including HCG trigger shot and progesterone support). He explained that Clomid works better than Femara for short luteal phase. He gave us a 40% chance that IUI would work over the course of 3 cycles. We never had a positive pregnancy test from the IUIs.
We then moved on to IVF. He recommended ICSI to give us the best odds of fertilization (since we've never had a positive pregnancy test and don't know where the problem is occurring). He also recommended CCS testing followed by an FET given my age (38) and to give us the best odds of a pregnancy the first time around. He predicted that one cycle of IVF would yield 6 embryos, 3 of which would be CCS normal.
Our first egg retrieval, we did estrogen priming with Protocol 3 and a lupron trigger shot. We ended up with 14 eggs, 9 mature, 6 fertilized, 3 blastocysts, and one CCS normal. In our regroup, he explained that he was surprised by our results, but suspected that it was probably a pattern that it explained why I hadn't gotten pregnant naturally. It took a year's worth of eggs in perfect laboratory conditions to get one viable embryo.
We decided to do a second IVF cycle to bank more embryos, because ideally we want two children. He switched the protocol for this next one in the hopes of getting more eggs/embryos, and noted that this part of the process was more art than science. We did testosterone priming and microdose lupron flare (protocol 6). This cycle was much more exciting and dramatic! At my first follicle check, one follicle had shot way ahead and was already over 20mm! After this, he told me to stop the microdose lupron and added ganorelix to keep me from ovulating. Ultimately, we let the lead follicle "go" and waited for the others to reach a good size. This time we did an HCG trigger shot, which I think helped a ton with egg maturity. We got 22 eggs, 13 mature, and 12 fertilized. 6 made it to blast this time, but, alas, only one was CCS normal. In some ways, the second retrieval seemed way more successful, but the ultimate result was the same as the first. This experience confirmed that there was definitely a pattern of something wrong with my eggs (or possibly the combination of my eggs and my husband's sperm). Even though it wasn't the result we wanted, I felt relieved to find out what was going on.
Rather than bank more embryos, we moved on to an FET, which fortunately was successful on the first attempt! I don't think we did anything special - just the standard month of birth control pills, followed by estrogen patches, vaginal estrace, vaginal progesterone (endometrin), and progesterone in oil injections. The vaginal estrace was added once it was determined that my lining was borderline too thin. Those drugs continued until we started weaning after our 8.5 week ultrasound.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Chris)
I love our nurse Chris! She is peppy, kind, and genuine. You don't always get to speak to your assigned nurse, but overall I've had a good experience with most of the nurses I've interacted with. I didn't run into any problems with communicating - everyone emails or calls back in a short amount of time. And for the most part, the nurses all have positive attitudes, which makes a huge difference given how difficult and emotional this process is.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
CCRM is one of the best in the business and is a well-oiled machine. I rarely feel like "just a number." This may be because I go to the Louisville clinic, which is smaller and less "fertility industrial complex" seeming than the Lone Tree office. This is the only clinic I've been to, so I don't have much to compare it to. However, based on things my friends have said about their experiences with other clinics, I think CCRM does a particularly good job of managing expectations. You will have to undergo all of their testing even if you've done some of it before. This is part of the well-oiled machine piece. And, they won't start treatment until all testing is done. This felt a little frustrating at first, but I respect that they want to be thorough before they decided on treatment options.
The main issue I've had with the Louisville office is going in for blood draws. For example, I would call and let them know I needed my thyroid levels re-checked and schedule an appointment. When I got there, the phlebotomist was prepared to test for something other than my TSH. What was happening is that the receptionist just scheduled "blood draw" and then the nurses were guessing what I might need given my chart and calendar, and they didn't always guess right. Any time you get a blood draw, be sure to check the label that it's for the right thing! I know this issue has been brought up, but I'm still running into this problem. The best solution is to tell the receptionist to make a "phone note" about what the blood draw is for and then double-check the blood draw label when you go in.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
I think the initial testing was $4K; we spent around $5-6K on three IUIs. We spent about $50-60K for two rounds of IVF/ICSI/CCS and one FET (including medications).
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
Dr. G recommended single embryo transfer because we will be doing CCS. He said the odds of a pregnancy after transferring one chromosomally normal embryo would be 65-70%. If we were to transfer two, our odds would go up to 80%, but the risk of twins would be 60%.
We were concerned about the risk of twins (and preferred to use our only 2 embryos to try for two, non-twin siblings) so we went forward with the eSET, which was successful.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Lost appointments
- Failed to call with results
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10
10
Age
27 - 31
Treated
2013 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
5 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained, Other
10
10
Dr. G [Gustofson] was very thorough when it came to our treatment options. He is very genuine and personable and helped make this difficult process a lot easier on us....Dr. Gustofson was amazing to work with during this difficult part of our lives. He took the time to sit down and go over our options and get to know us. He is a genuine human being and you could tell he was actually interested in getting to know us and our situation...I would definitely recommend using Dr. Gustofson. He will explain everything fully and is open to any questions.
CCRM Louisville is a smaller more personable clinic than the other locations....However altogether I was very pleased with how we were treated and the company was ran as a whole...We had a pretty good experience with the nursing staff, no real issues...I know there are a few different Dr's to chose from within CCRM but I would definitely recommend using Dr. Gustofson...[Cost Of Treatment] 17k ish
Age
27 - 31
Treated
2013 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Sales Representative
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
5 IUI
Diagnosis
Unexplained, Other
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G was very thorough when it came to our treatment options. He is very genuine and personable and helped make this difficult process a lot easier on us. We ended up going back to see him to get pregnant with baby number 2 and would definitely recommend him to others.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
I know there are a few different Dr's to chose from within CCRM but I would definitely recommend using Dr. Gustofson. He will explain everything fully and is open to any questions.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson was amazing to work with during this difficult part of our lives. He took the time to sit down and go over our options and get to know us. He is a genuine human being and you could tell he was actually interested in getting to know us and our situation.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
For the first pregnancy, we did 8 cycles of clomid and letrozole and 4 of those were IUI's the 4th one took. I only ovulate on one side because of my uterine malformation that's why there were cycles without an IUI.
For the second pregnancy all it took was 1 cycle of Letrozole and 1 IUI and it took. We now have 2 beautiful babies thanks to the help of Dr. G and CCRM.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
We had a pretty good experience with the nursing staff, no real issues.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
CCRM Louisville is a smaller more personable clinic than the other locations. We had to go to the other 2 locations for different procedures and it was a bit of a difference and I could see how people could feel not as appreciated at those locations. However altogether I was very pleased with how we were treated and the company was ran as a whole.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
17k ish
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9
9
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Unexplained
9
9
Dr. G is very personable and manages to balance a difficult topic with grace and humor. He helped us to feel very at ease throughout our treatment. Although he would write things out while talking to us about them we would still sometimes feel a little overwhelmed at the sheer amount of information. He also at times covered things very quickly. However we always felt that we had time to ask questions or clarify anything we might be confused about. We always felt like we were the patients he was focused on in that moment - it never seemed like we were rushed during our consults with him.
Staff at the clinic were all generally very helpful and professional. They were also prompt in returning calls and very pleasant when there for tests, etc. The clinic itself is clean, quiet and comfortable...There were times when it seemed like we got different information from different people at the clinic. For example, I would be told that I needed blood work but then when I would come in blood work would not be part of my tests that day. Or other times the blood work orders were not complete. It was good that I knew what I had been told because I was able to question them and things were fixed promptly when needed. This may have been because we would sometimes see different nurses who were not as familiar with our care. People were always quick to fix issues and always double checked anything I was concerned about.
Age
34 - 35
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European, Native American
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IUI
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Unexplained
9
9
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G is very personable and manages to balance a difficult topic with grace and humor. He helped us to feel very at ease throughout our treatment. Although he would write things out while talking to us about them we would still sometimes feel a little overwhelmed at the sheer amount of information. He also at times covered things very quickly. However we always felt that we had time to ask questions or clarify anything we might be confused about. We always felt like we were the patients he was focused on in that moment - it never seemed like we were rushed during our consults with him.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Be prepared for a lot of information and to ask questions and not be afraid to clarify when you need to. He's open to it.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G was very personable. My husband and I appreciated that he fully and clearly explained each stage in the process and what our fertility issues were. He asked us to consider difficult questions and gave us the time to do so recognizing that we would need time to think carefully about the options he was putting forth and what they could mean for us. He was also very encouraging and even phoned us to congratulate us personally when we had success.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
We had to adjust out diet to take out caffeine completely and avoid alcohol. I was also put on levothyroxine to manage my TSH levels. Once we did the cycle I had to take clomid for several days and then took estrogen and progesterone supplements as well.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Annalise)
We did not always see Annalise although that is who we were assigned to. In fact it was another nurse, Melissa, who did my IUI and I often received calls from other nurses regarding test results. Annalise was very kind and helpful when we did meet with her. Melissa was also extremely professional and had a great sense of humor which helped me to feel comfortable when undergoing the IUI.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
Staff at the clinic were all generally very helpful and professional. They were also prompt in returning calls and very pleasant when there for tests, etc. The clinic itself is clean, quiet and comfortable.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
Much of our treatment was covered, but we probably paid about $2000 out of pocket for the various tests and treatments that we had.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Failed to order appropriate test
- Provided conflicting information
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7
6
Age
39 - 40
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
7
6
Dr. Gustofson provided the reality of my chances, but did so in a friendly and professional manner. It was fairly blunt and stark in a way, but mainly because he was sharing less-than-promising chances based on test results. His manner of speaking was appropriately kind. I definitely got the impression Dr. G (and CCRM) believe in the school of thought of being up front with the worst-case scenario, versus being overly encouraging.
The business office [at CCRM] is TERRIBLE - they didn't even respond to some of my messages. Yet when my payment was due to them they hounded me repeatedly. When the way they run payments triggered holds from my bank, they insisted I keep calling back (three calls each to the bank and then CCRM) immediately when I was due in a meeting or else they'd cancel my cycle. They also do not make clear up front that as a long distance patient you're still paying full price for the cycle including all monitoring appointments at CCRM even though you're not doing them there because you have to have a local clinic perform those tasks (and pay f
Age
39 - 40
Treated
2016 - 2017
Success with this Doc
No
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
7
6
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson provided the reality of my chances, but did so in a friendly and professional manner. It was fairly blunt and stark in a way, but mainly because he was sharing less-than-promising chances based on test results. His manner of speaking was appropriately kind. I definitely got the impression Dr. G (and CCRM) believe in the school of thought of being up front with the worst-case scenario, versus being overly encouraging.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Consider being a patient at his other office in northwest Denver, versus Lone Tree where you feel like a number.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson had a good bedside manner, but CCRM is a pretty heartless machine where you feel nearly every interaction is impersonal except for with the actual doctor(s).
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
We spent a month "priming" with a lot of supplements geared towards my likelihood of being a "poor responder." Toward the end I had three days of Ganirelix. Then when I got my period, we started the stim cycle with the various oral and injected medications, leading to retrieval. I had five egg sacs but only two matured - they were both large enough for retrieval and the others weren't. Of the two retrieved, only one matured enough for fertilization, and it didn't fertilize.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Nicole)
Nicole was generally supportive but always sounds in a rush because she's such a fast/perky talker. At times when other nurses called they were super short and one even got huffy with me when I needed her to repeat something because it was so much information. So much is provided in a binder or on the web for an out-of-town patient and you're generally left to call with questions instead of being walked through things - with the exception of dosages, which the nurses are proactive about providing.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
CCRM's reputation for success is high, but you definitely feel the impersonality inherent there. The doctors themselves are probably the high point but with a few exceptions I was disappointed in the vibe/process.
One important note - you basically cannot reach a human being by phone when you call (you reach a phone tree) unless you would lie and state you're a medical provider, or if you had an emergency. I did neither of those so I was constantly leaving messages and the having to take calls at inconvenient times (whenever CCRM got back to me).
Also it is SO expensive compared to other clinics, and CCRM doesn't provide the same level of assisting with discount programs as did other clinics I've worked with. The business office is TERRIBLE - they didn't even respond to some of my messages. Yet when my payment was due to them they hounded me repeatedly. When the way they run payments triggered holds from my bank, they insisted I keep calling back (three calls each to the bank and then CCRM) immediately when I was due in a meeting or else they'd cancel my cycle. They also do not make clear up front that as a long distance patient you're still paying full price for the cycle including all monitoring appointments at CCRM even though you're not doing them there because you have to have a local clinic perform those tasks (and pay for them separately). I also am due a refund from my cycle since we didn't have any embryos to test for genetic abnormalities and I have not heard from them. I have not yet followed up but am frankly expecting them to fight to keep our money due to some fine print I might have missed based on my experience to date.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
$25k plus $8k for medication
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
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10
10
Age
34 - 37
Treated
2014 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF, Surrogacy
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Tubal Blockage, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
10
10
I have secondary infertility, recently married, and my husband has never had a child of his own. Dr G [Robert Gustofson] took the time to get to know us and our situation and recognized the importance of us having a baby. He performed corrective surgery and gave me every chance to carry before we decided it would be best to use a gestational carrier. Our egg retrieval and transfer were successful and we would be due with twins October 4,2017 had one not implanted in our gc's c scar. Dr G has personally contacted us through every important step to give us results himself. We are continuing our journey with him and have 3 remaining embryos.
The clinic staff [at CCRM] for the most part is really good at what they do and very friendly and compassionate. I only had a few nurses that I didn't love, but for the most part everyone is amazing. They really make sure that you are fully informed every step of the way. We had appt's almost every day during our mock cycles and Stims and the sonographers always communicate what they see and you always sit down with a nurse after blood work and ultrasound to discuss results and next options which we appreciated not having to wait for phone calls. Our doctor always followed up with us personally and did all of our procedures which we appreciated also. The facilities are clean and well kept, warm and inviting.
Age
34 - 37
Treated
2014 - 2017
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Business Executive
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 IVF, Surrogacy
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Tubal Blockage, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
We have been patients since 2014 when we saw one of his competitors who we didn't feel had the bed side manner for us or our journey. I have secondary infertility, recently married, and my husband has never had a child of his own. Dr G took the time to get to know us and our situation and recognized the importance of us having a baby. He performed corrective surgery and gave me every chance to carry before we decided it would be best to use a gestational carrier. Our egg retrieval and transfer were successful and we would be due with twins October 4,2017 had one not implanted in our gc's c scar. Dr G has personally contacted us through every important step to give us results himself. We are continuing our journey with him and have 3 remaining embryos.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Be honest with him about your goals and he will be compassionate and help you through your journey
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr G has always called my husband and I personally with our results after egg retrieval, transfer, and he called us daily to check up after our surrogate was forced to terminate twins due to a cesarean scar implant. He has amazing bed side manner and went above and beyond with us.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
We started with corrective operative hysteroscopy in 2014 followed by 3 ock cyckes to see if my lining would thicken. The mock cycle protocols resulted in getting my lining thick enough but I had New scar tissue form inside the uterus which we mutually decide it was time to use a GC. Our Stims and egg retrieval went flawlessly and resulted in 13 mature eggs, 9 fertilized, 8 made it for testing and 5 were genetically healthy. Our GC had some set backs, we could not complete her work up until she was 1 year PP, and had 2 periods after stopping nursing. She then had to lose enough weight to have a BMI of under 30 to proceed to FET protocol which also went flawlessly. Our transfer went off without a hitch, both embryos thawed perfectly and were hatching which resulted in a twin pregnancy.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
We have many friends that have gone to CCRM and loved the nurses. We got bounced around a little due to starting out ttc with me carrying and switching to a GC.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
The clinic staff for the most part is really good at what they do and very friendly and compassionate. I only had a few nurses that I didn't love, but for the most part everyone is amazing. They really make sure that you are fully informed every step of the way. We had appt's almost every day during our mock cycles and Stims and the sonographers always communicate what they see and you always sit down with a nurse after blood work and ultrasound to discuss results and next options which we appreciated not having to wait for phone calls. Our doctor always followed up with us personally and did all of our procedures which we appreciated also. The facilities are clean and well kept, warm and inviting.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
For Stims and egg retrieval the cost was around $14,000 not including medication, and for our GC frozen transfer including her one day work up and testing was about $13,500.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
CCRM in general is pro eSET and we chose to transfer two embryos only because we were using a gestational carrier and had already previously gone through ttc ourselves and our first GC backed out after medical clearance so the amount of time we had waited was worth taking the risk of twins to have a baby in the end which didn't work out for us. Dr G supported our decision but gave us all the information with the risks of multiple pregnancy and highly urged a eSET.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
8
6
Age
35
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
1 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Male Factor
8
6
Dr. Gustofson did an excellent job explaining every step in the treatment process he didn't make any of it sound scary and was very understanding of our opinions on some of the steps. He was also very understanding and patient with us. He took his time to explain all of our options and made sure to address all of our questions.
The clinic [CCRM] needs to be better about follow up. The business office has yet to respond to our request for a pricing breakdown. They need to be more responsive to voicemail.... We were diagnosed with Male Infertility. My husband had already been seen by a urologist and Dr. Gustofson's first approach was to better understand the treatment thus far. From there we were given the options to use a donor. We were then advised on the donor banks, then the IUI and IVF process. These decisions have yet to be mad on our part we are currently in step one which is getting the information from the Urologist to Dr. G. for review and his opinion on if we should pursue any further treatments for Male Infertility.
Age
35
Treated
2017
Success with this Doc
?
Race
Other
Income
$50K - $99K
Occupation
Business Executive
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
1 Fertility Medications
Diagnosis
Male Factor
8
6
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson did an excellent job explaining every step in the treatment process he didn't make any of it sound scary and was very understanding of our opinions on some of the steps. He was also very understanding and patient with us. He took his time to explain all of our options and made sure to address all of our questions.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
I would advise him to be a bit more aggressive in the timeline of things and possibly explain things in a little more detail or provide more information to digest at a later time.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
The Doctor spent time outlining all of our options and understanding our health history fully. He never made it feel like he was rushing us thru the process. He took his time and answered every question that we had. He also took notes for us with all the details of our discussion outlined.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
We were diagnosed with Male Infertility. My husband had already been seen by a urologist and Dr. Gustofson's first approach was to better understand the treatment thus far. From there we were given the options to use a donor. We were then advised on the donor banks, then the IUI and IVF process. These decisions have yet to be mad on our part we are currently in step one which is getting the information from the Urologist to Dr. G. for review and his opinion on if we should pursue any further treatments for Male Infertility.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado.
The nurse was very compassionate and helped to support the doctor.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
The clinic needs to be better about follow up. The business office has yet to respond to our request for a pricing breakdown. They need to be more responsive to voicemail.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
Not yet provided with this information.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
The doctor did not address this option.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Failed to convey critical information
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10
10
Age
39 - 40
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
10
10
Dr Gustofson is incredibly kind and caring. He took as much time as was needed to explain each step of the process and answer all of our questions. He gave us his email and was quick to respond to any questions that I sent to him. He understands first hand the stresses and concerns involved in infertility treatment and provides both a scientific and empathetic approach to care...CCRM is a machine. At times, you will feel like a number if you do not have the right doctor or nurse. However, these "numbers" are what allows CCRM to take a very scientific approach to treatment. At the end of the day, this is what I wanted
CCRM is a machine. At times, you will feel like a number if you do not have the right doctor or nurse. However, these "numbers" are what allows CCRM to take a very scientific approach to treatment. At the end of the day, this is what I wanted...Overall, we spend about $65K on fertility treatments...Nicole is incredibly organized and responsive. She was on top of things for me all the time. I always received a call back from her on the day, she often picked up her phone when I called. On days she was out of the office during stims and FET prep, she made sure I had another point of contact and that they were looking out for me.
Age
39 - 40
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$500K
Occupation
Entrepreneur
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
He is empathetic and knowledgable. At the end of the day, there is so much that we don't understand about infertility, so he explains the boundaries of knowledge, sets expectations, provides a personalized experience and stays with you through the ups and downs of treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Work with him, you won't regret it.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr Gustofson is incredibly kind and caring. He took as much time as was needed to explain each step of the process and answer all of our questions. He gave us his email and was quick to respond to any questions that I sent to him. He understands first hand the stresses and concerns involved in infertility treatment and provides both a scientific and empathetic approach to care.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
My diagnosis was advanced maternal age. I followed the Linear Antagonist with testosterone priming protocol, which resulted in 6 embroys, 4 of which were CCS normal. I also have a blood clotting disorder, although he did not feel this caused either of my miscarriages since they were before 20 weeks. My first FET resulted in a chemical pregnancy, so we added the antihistamine protocol. Second FET was a BFN. At this point Dr. G asked if I would want to consider a gestational carrier. When we asked if we could try a third transfer with a more natural approach, he was supportive instead of pushing us down the GC path. The third "natural" transfer worked and resulted in our son.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Nicole S)
Nicole is incredibly organized and responsive. She was on top of things for me all the time. I always received a call back from her on the day, she often picked up her phone when I called. On days she was out of the office during stims and FET prep, she made sure I had another point of contact and that they were looking out for me.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
CCRM is a machine. At times, you will feel like a number if you do not have the right doctor or nurse. However, these "numbers" are what allows CCRM to take a very scientific approach to treatment. At the end of the day, this is what I wanted.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
Overall, we spend about $65K on fertility treatments
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
He recommended we transfer one at a time, and we did not want twins, so we followed his advice.
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10
10
Age
45 - 46
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IUI, 6 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
Because we had gone through multiple cycles with clomid, 3 IUI's and 3 IVF's my wife and I had a fair amount of knowledge of the process, levels, drugs, etc. and we have a propensity to ask a million questions. Dr. G. took as long as we needed to answer our questions...We cannot say enough positive things about Dr. G. We came to CCRM after having been unsuccessful with multiple clomid cycles, 3 IUI's and 3 IVF's at a nationally-recognized clinic in Ohio. From the start Dr. G. was supportive, caring, optimistic and professional. We had a difficult decision to make about whether to do a family building plan or stop after one cycle (we retrieved 11 eggs). Dr. G. sat with us and helped us weigh the pros and cons and come to a decision. His calm demeanor and optimistic disposition went a long way to putting my wife's mind at ease, which I think very much helped our successes. We were completely impressed with Dr. G. and CCRM and have recommended both to multiple friends.
We came to CCRM after spending 3 years in the care of a nationally-recognized clinic in Ohio. The type of testing (including on my wife and on the embryos) that CCRM is doing is significantly more sophisticated than our prior clinic. The success numbers that CCRM gets are no accident. They know what they are doing....Leslie was wonderful. Unfortunately, she recently left CCRM to work in a different aspect of medicine.
Age
45 - 46
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Business Executive
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, 6 IVF
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
We cannot say enough positive things about Dr. G. We came to CCRM after having been unsuccessful with multiple clomid cycles, 3 IUI's and 3 IVF's at a nationally-recognized clinic in Ohio. From the start Dr. G. was supportive, caring, optimistic and professional. We had a difficult decision to make about whether to do a family building plan or stop after one cycle (we retrieved 11 eggs). Dr. G. sat with us and helped us weigh the pros and cons and come to a decision. His calm demeanor and optimistic disposition went a long way to putting my wife's mind at ease, which I think very much helped our successes. We were completely impressed with Dr. G. and CCRM and have recommended both to multiple friends.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
My advice would be that Dr. G. is a wonderful doctor and using him will give you the best chance for success.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Because we had gone through multiple cycles with clomid, 3 IUI's and 3 IVF's my wife and I had a fair amount of knowledge of the process, levels, drugs, etc. and we have a propensity to ask a million questions. Dr. G. took as long as we needed to answer our questions.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
Neither of us remember the combination of drugs, but we do remember that Dr. G. regularly adjusted dosages and timing for all 3 of our retrievals.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Leslie Reisig)
Leslie was wonderful. Unfortunately, she recently left CCRM to work in a different aspect of medicine.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
We came to CCRM after spending 3 years in the care of a nationally-recognized clinic in Ohio. The type of testing (including on my wife and on the embryos) that CCRM is doing is significantly more sophisticated than our prior clinic. The success numbers that CCRM gets are no accident. They know what they are doing.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
$53,000
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
We did not get the sense that Dr. G. had a preference for single vs. multiple. He left the decision to us and did explain the probabilities, risks, etc. with us. We ended up putting in two embryos and had twins.
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10
10
Age
36
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, PCOS
10
10
Dr Gustofson was compassionate and understanding of our struggles. I felt that he always relayed information related to risks in a very trustworthy manner, which made me feel that we could make the best informed decisions about my medical care. I could not have found a better doctor, I feel extremely lucky!...Dr Gustofson was always kind and understanding during each interaction with him. He was also honest and up front, so I felt I could trust him throughout the process.
The clinic [CCRM] is extremely organized in their treatment approaches. They are a fine oiled machine. The only downside that we ran into was the billing department. They were not as organized, but we were able to work with them to address billing inaccuracies...[Nurse] Chris was very sweet and informative. She was not always the nurse available, so sometimes I had to see a different nurse...We spent a total of about $5000. We had insurance that covered most of the cost.
Age
36
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Latino
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Engineer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
1 IVF
Diagnosis
Male Factor, PCOS
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr Gustofson was compassionate and understanding of our struggles. I felt that he always relayed information related to risks in a very trustworthy manner, which made me feel that we could make the best informed decisions about my medical care. I could not have found a better doctor, I feel extremely lucky!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Be honest about your concerns related to infertility so you can get the most information needed to make the right decision for you.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr Gustofson was always kind and understanding during each interaction with him. He was also honest and up front, so I felt I could trust him throughout the process. I feel very fortunate to have been his patient. He made our dreams of getting pregnant a reality!
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
Antagonist protocol. Took birth control pills for 14 days. I took menapur (2 vials) in AM and 150 units of Gonal-F with Dex in PM. After 5 days, added Cetrotide in AM. Dosages were adjusted after day 6. Trigger shot lupron given night before retrieval and in the morning. 22eggs were retrieved without hyper stimulation.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Chris)
Chris was very sweet and informative. She was not always the nurse available, so sometimes I had to see a different nurse.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
Considering that we got pregnant on the first try, we are very happy with their this clinic and their capabilities. The clinic is extremely organized in their treatment approaches. They are a fine oiled machine. The only downside that we ran into was the billing department. They were not as organized, but we were able to work with them to address billing inaccuracies.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
We spent a total of about $5000. We had insurance that covered most of the cost.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
My Dr recommended one embryo be transferred due to high quality embryo (5AA).
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5
3
Age
37
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
No
Treatment
6 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
5
3
Dr Gustofson had some definite strengths as a doctor -- he was personable and gave us plenty of time to ask questions during our initial consult...when my cycle did not go as expected, he lacked empathy and, moreover, the willingness to problem-solve, to really dig into my unique situation and work with me. I felt like I had suddenly shifted from being a patient to being a problem. I did one unsuccessful IVF cycle with him at the age of 36 and he told me that my only option was donor eggs.
CCRM is a fertility factory. As such, they have an industrial approach to IVF: there are different models of the product (IVF) and you are assigned to a particular model. If you do not happen to fit into one of their models, you are SOL. There is no attempt to personalize models to the individual. Also, their prices are truly exploitative. I felt like I was being over charged for everything. I think that even if my cycle had been successful, I would have felt like I overpaid.
Age
37
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
No
Race
Ashkenazi Jewish
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Professor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
4th of 4 Docs
Treatment
6 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
5
3
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr Gustofson had some definite strengths as a doctor -- he was personable and gave us plenty of time to ask questions during our initial consult; he reached out to me with a personal phone call when things weren't looking good; and he overall seems to believe in what he is doing.
However, under his care I also experienced some interactions and situations that made me very uncomfortable with him as a doctor overall. The main problem I had with him was that when my cycle did not go as expected, he lacked empathy and, moreover, the willingness to problem-solve, to really dig into my unique situation and work with me. I felt like I had suddenly shifted from being a patient to being a problem.
I did one unsuccessful IVF cycle with him at the age of 36 and he told me that my only option was donor eggs. He made absolutely no concession to the fact that the aggressive, high-stim protocol that he chose for me might have influenced my egg quality. He said that since the same protocol worked for other women, the problem is obviously me, not the protocol. Talk about faulty logic... He made no concession for the fact that we are also dealing with male factor. He simply told me, in a blunt and heartless way, that my eggs are crap and I should move on. Other doctors at smaller clinics who are willing to work to customize protocols for individual patients have since given me hope, but at the time, I felt just crushed by his pronouncements.
I think the main problem with Dr Gustofson's approach to treating infertility is that he lacks humility and the willingness to work with a person as an individual. He believes wholeheartedly in his approach and is not willing to see others' points of view. There is so much about the field that is mysterious and he doesn't seem willing to admit that. Pity the patient who doesn't fit into his clearly-drawn lines.
His approach seems to reflect the factory-like nature of CCRM. He has many patients, none of whom receive quite enough attention. As a result, he made some serious errors while I was under his care, forgetting very important things that I had told him and then acting as if his mistake was my fault.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Expect to be treated like a cog in the system.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr Gustofson showed little empathy when delivering difficult information and seemed to have just briefly scanned my chart notes before speaking with me. There were some instances in which he made the extra effort to reach out to me with a phone call when things were not looking good, and I appreciated this greatly. But when my cycle went badly, I felt like he just gave up on me and wrote me off. I felt like I was just a a problem for maintaining CCRM's statistics and he had no interest in actually addressing the challenging particularities of my situation.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
I was on CCRM's estrogen priming protocol with testosterone and HGH. It was a protocol that seemed to make sense for me but was disastrous. I was on very high doses of both Follistim and Menopur (450-550 total). I never received a clear rationale for using the protocol, except that it was geared towards maximizing egg quality.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Helen)
I never actually met Helen, which is indicative of how CCRM runs. I wish I could have had the opportunity to see her, at least once. But despite not meeting her, she was a competent nurse.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
CCRM is a fertility factory. As such, they have an industrial approach to IVF: there are different models of the product (IVF) and you are assigned to a particular model. If you do not happen to fit into one of their models, you are SOL. There is no attempt to personalize models to the individual.
Also, their prices are truly exploitative. I felt like I was being over charged for everything. I think that even if my cycle had been successful, I would have felt like I overpaid.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
We spent roughly $35K on one cycle.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Lost paperwork
- Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
- Failed to convey critical information
- Lost or damaged samples
- Scheduled the wrong procedure
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10
10
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
4 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
Dr. Gustafson and our nurse, Leslie, have been extremely helpful with our whole process. The reason we switched is because I asked for help with my mental health from our previous doctor, who I felt like dismissed me and referred to a primary care physician. Dr. Gustafson helped met with us and referred us to a CCRM Therapist who recommended I be put on a small dose of an antidepressant.
The clinic is huge, but everyone is very professional and polite... Dr. Gustafson and our nurse, Leslie, have been extremely helpful with our whole process. The reason we switched is because I asked for help with my mental health from our previous doctor, who I felt like dismissed me and referred to a primary care physician. Dr. Gustafson helped met with us and referred us to a CCRM Therapist who recommended I be put on a small dose of an antidepressant.
Age
35 - 36
Treated
2015 - 2016
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Marketer or PR
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
4 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson has been extremely helpful and answers all our questions in a timely and well described manner. I was referred to this doctor as my friend saw him and he ended up diagnosing her with Ovarian Cancer, but worked to get her grants to freeze her eggs for after her cancer battle. He's a great guy and doctor!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Do your own research, but trust this doctor!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustafson and our nurse, Leslie, have been extremely helpful with our whole process. The reason we switched is because I asked for help with my mental health from our previous doctor, who I felt like dismissed me and referred to a primary care physician. Dr. Gustafson helped met with us and referred us to a CCRM Therapist who recommended I be put on a small dose of an antidepressant. I feel so much better and we are currently in our 2WW for our 2nd IUI with CCRM. Fingers crossed!
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
For our first IUI, we used clomid, ovidrel and estrogen. However, that was unsuccessful so for this second one, the doctor recommended I take the clomid for longer. This was beneficial with helping my follicles grow, however thinned my uterine lining a great deal. To fix that, I was put on estrogen vaginally three times a day, which was a miracle drug and increased my lining from 3.5 to 7.7!
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Leslie)
Leslie is always great about communicating with us in a timely manner. Every time we meet with her, she is very compassionate and helpful.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
The clinic is huge, but everyone is very professional and polite.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
Fertility expenses are obviously not cheap. But, I standby the idea that you get what you pay for. Our insurance does not cover any fertility aspects, so we work to pay for everything on our own.
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
34
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
4 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
10
Dr Gustavsson [Gustofson] was amazing he listened really well to all of our questions and addressed any concerns that we had. When we weren’t seeing any improvement in my husband sperm quality he sat down with us and discussed our options for further treatment to either use a sperm donor or do IVF. ... We did two rounds with my husband sperm but his numbers were not improving so we switched to a donor
I really appreciated that CCRM has been around for a very long time and has multiple clinics in my area which made it much easier for me to do the testing I needed to during the week if I had to get an ultrasound before work I was able to go to the clinic in Denver and on the weekends we can go to lone tree and for regular visits of course he is located in Lafayette
Age
34
Treated
2016
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
4 IUI, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Male Factor
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr Gustavsson was amazing he listened really well to all of our questions and addressed any concerns that we had. When we weren’t seeing any improvement in my husband sperm quality he sat down with us and discussed our options for further treatment to either use a sperm donor or do IVF.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
He’s really nice and we really enjoyed working with him
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
They were very nice. If I ever had questions the nurses called me back personally and if I emailed questions they got back to me very quickly.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
During my treatment I was monitored very closely they did ultrasounds to make sure I wasn’t producing too many eggs. And then did the IUI when it was time. We did two rounds with my husband sperm but his numbers were not improving so we switched to a donor
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado.
I had a primary nurse but saw several others during my treatment due to things falling on the weekend on Acacian all of them were so kind and nice and explained everything and made sure that if I had any questions during periods where they were not open that I knew how to get a help.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
I really appreciated that CCRM has been around for a very long time and has multiple clinics in my area which made it much easier for me to do the testing I needed to during the week if I had to get an ultrasound before work I was able to go to the clinic in Denver and on the weekends we can go to lone tree and for regular visits of course he is located in Lafayette
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
In all out of pocket for the four rounds of treatment we did including getting the donor sperm we ended up spending about $10,000 out-of-pocket. We were very lucky because our insurance did actually cover some of the treatment.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
We ended up only using IUI But we did speak about their protocols a little bit. They prefer if you were younger to only transfer one embryo to reduce the risk of multiples and then discuss the possibility of doing more than one for people who are a little bit older or have other risk factors.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
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10
10
Age
35
Treated
2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
4 IUI, 4 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality
10
10
He was always very pleasant to speak to and he never rushed through the conversation. He was always well prepared for our calls and meetings and he gave me opportunities to ask questions and he answered them patiently....I absolutely believe that Dr. Gustofson does a better job at adjusting medication based on your body's response...I never felt like the doctor or nurse didn't know the circumstances surrounding my treatment.
It is a longer process to do IVF with them because of all of their testing. They make you repeat all tests even if done elsewhere recently. You have to ship them blood draws....They charge you for phone calls with your doctor. And the business office is not easy to work with....they see a ton of patients each year and they have it down to a science and their lab is amazing....I never felt like the doctor or nurse didn't know the circumstances surrounding my treatment.
Age
35
Treated
2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Black or African-American
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Lawyer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
4th of 5 Docs
Treatment
4 IUI, 4 IVF, Donor Sperm
Diagnosis
Poor Egg Quality
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
He was always very pleasant to speak to and he never rushed through the conversation. He was always well prepared for our calls and meetings and he gave me opportunities to ask questions and he answered them patiently.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Loved working with Dr. Gustofson, but I didn't love the logistics and sometimes ridiculous requirements of the clinic (repeat testing, having to schedule and pay for regroups). However, after doing IVF at another clinic I absolutely believe that Dr. Gustofson does a better job at adjusting medication based on your body's response and their lab was the difference between me having a biological child and not - it is truly worth all the inconvenience of travelling from another state and paying a lot of money.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
I never felt like the doctor or nurse didn't know the circumstances surrounding my treatment. They were understanding and compassionate when they needed to be but the nature of the process and their popularity means that you knew you were one of many patients - all fine with me because I came there because of that experience and their amazing reputation.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
It is very expensive, they are out of network with most insurance. It is a longer process to do IVF with them because of all of their testing. They make you repeat all tests even if done elsewhere recently. You have to ship them blood draws. You have to repeat communicable testing which is frustrating if you are single and abstinent (like me) or a married or partnered couple - and the testing isn't cheap. They charge you for phone calls with your doctor. And the business office is not easy to work with. All that being said, they see a ton of patients each year and they have it down to a science and their lab is amazing. This is a last resort clinic for many people and they are successful in getting them pregnant. I had night and day results between this clinic and my previous clinic, so as long as a person stays on top of their case, timing, medications, etc. and is an advocate for their care, they will do well at CCRM and have a great chance of having a baby.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
I traveled out of state 4 times - once for testing, twice for egg retrieval and once for transfer. I did 2 IVF cycles with CCS testing. I believe I payed about $50,000 out of pocket and that includes full insurance coverage for medication and out of network insurance coverage.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
I think my doctor prefers eSET unless there is reason to be more aggressive. I believe he would have supported the final decision I made, but he definitely leaned more towards eSET for me (which was my preference)
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10
10
Age
28 - 29
Treated
2014 - 2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF, Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Other
10
10
Dr. G never made us feel rushed and always explained everything very thoroughly. He had a great bedside manner and was a compassionate doctor/surgeon... The reason for us not getting pregnant was a bit unexpected to us and to him, but once he uncovered the reason he explained everything very thoroughly.
My primary nurse (Lindsey) was very caring and sympathetic... the ultrasound technician that I saw more than anyone else was always cheery and good at explaining things. However some of the other nurses didn't seem as caring, or made critical mistakes.
Age
28 - 29
Treated
2014 - 2015
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Graphic Designer
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1 Doc Seen
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF, Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Other
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G never made us feel rushed and always explained everything very thoroughly. He had a great bedside manner and was a compassionate doctor/surgeon. At first he got to know us, explained all of the test results, and the course of action. He showed assurance that he could help us. The reason for us not getting pregnant was a bit unexpected to us and to him, but once he uncovered the reason he explained everything very thoroughly.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Trust him. He really knows what he is doing and has done this many times.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
I sometimes felt like a number because the clinic is very very popular. However, each nurse and doctor treated me like an individual and took time with me as a patient.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
We tried IUI for 3 cycles, as recommended, since there were no glaring reasons to jump straight to IVF. These involved letrozole, a trigger shot, and sperm washing. When those didn't work, we did IVF, which included follistim, ganarelix, menopur, and possibly other medications I don't remember. We did not use an HCG trigger shot because I was overstimulating, so we did a different kind that meant we had to freeze the embryos. Because of the freezing, we signed up for a study that performed comprehensive chromosomal screening on our embryos. It was then that we learned of my translocation. In the end we had only 5 good frozen embryos. While they were frozen my body recovered, then I was on multiple forms of estrogen (patch and pill) and progesterone (suppository and shot) while we prepped my uterine lining. We chose to transfer one embryo since there was no indication that I'd have trouble with one implanting, and it worked.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Lindsey Hargrove-Hopkin)
My primary nurse (Lindsey) was very caring and sympathetic. She explained things thoroughly and clearly and answered my questions well. The receptionist was always friendly and nonjudgemental, and the ultrasound technician that I saw more than anyone else was always cheery and good at explaining things. However some of the other nurses didn't seem as caring, or made critical mistakes. One nurse didn't even know how many days were in half a week!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
In total we spent nearly $30K
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0
0
Age
36
Treated
2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
—
0
0
I don't feel like he [Dr. Gustofson] looked at my case individually in terms of what was best for me...He gave me nothing to be optimistic about going into IVF, even though I had just turned 36 and had all normal lab values (AMH, FSH etc). He told me from the start that I would need to do 3 cycles to have success, which would've been more travel, time, and money than I wanted to take on...since he had given me no hope that I was a good candidate for IVF, I chose to go straight to donor eggs
I bought 13 frozen donor eggs [at CCRM Colorado] for $40k and ended up with 1 embryo. My protocol was lupron, birth control, progesterone in oil, estrogen patches...I wish I had known more about what my lab results meant. The nurse said my day 3 labs "looked great" while Dr. Gustafson said I would need to do 3 cycles...I trusted him [Dr. Gustofson] because I had heard CCRM was the best, and since he had given me no hope that I was a good candidate for IVF, I chose to go straight to donor eggs
Age
36
Treated
2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Nurse or HC Services
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
—
0
0
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Update: as a result of my review, I was able to discuss my case with Dr. Gustofson. For years I have been wondering why he was okay with my choice to use donor eggs, when my numbers were not bad and I was young (36, AMH 1.0, FSH 8.7). I didn't realize back then that donor eggs should be a last resort, not the first option. Nor did I know enough to know that my numbers were not as bad as he made them sound. I feel like any other doctor would've strongly encouraged me to at least try with my own eggs. He shared with me a story about a previous patient who wanted to try donor eggs, but he encouraged her to try with her own one more time, and it did not work. This is why he was agreeable to me not even trying with my own eggs. While this helped me understand his position a bit more, it also confirmed that this was not the right doctor for me. I needed an expert in the field who could look at my case and see why I had been infertile my whole life, who could give me hope. I did get that from my current RE at ORM Fertility, who explained that it was endometriosis that is preventing natural pregnancy, but that if we can bypass that issue (via IVF) then it is generally very successful. I really wish I had had a doctor identify that when I was younger. I do feel like I wasted my best chance to get normal eggs when I was 36, because I went to a doctor who was too focused on my labs to really see me as a person.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
If you have excellent labs (AMH, FSH), this might be a good fit for you. If you're seen as any kind of a challenging case, with an AMH of less than 1.5, I would go somewhere else.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
I don't feel like he looked at my case individually in terms of what was best for me. I had been infertile my whole life, and was very nervous about the gamble of IVF. He gave me nothing to be optimistic about going into IVF, even though I had just turned 36 and had all normal lab values (AMH, FSH etc). He told me from the start that I would need to do 3 cycles to have success, which would've been more travel, time, and money than I wanted to take on. I trusted him because I had heard CCRM was the best, and since he had given me no hope that I was a good candidate for IVF, I chose to go straight to donor eggs, without really understanding the potential consequences that could have on my future child. We paid $40k and got one embryo, which is now my 3 year old daughter. I am now 41 with no clear way on how to have a second baby, despite paying so much the first time and trying to choose the better odds route. I recently consulted with another doctor at a clinic local to me, who explained that with the type of endometriosis I have, it literally destroys any egg trying to get into my tubes, and so IVF is generally very successful. Had Dr. Gustafson just explained this to me, I would've felt a lot more comfortable proceeding with IVF with my own eggs. I am frustrated that I made such a huge life altering decision based off the inexperienced opinion of one doctor. I recently did an IVF cycle with my own eggs at 41, and got 3 day 5 blasts, which unfortunately were abnormal. But it is hard not to wonder how different that might have been at 36. If I was going to pay $40k and end up with only one embryo, I'd have rather have used my own eggs. I really wish that I had gotten a second opinion back then. The RE I Just saw at my local clinic was astounded that Dr. Gustafson would tell me right from the start that I needed to do 3 cycles.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
I bought 13 frozen donor eggs for $40k and ended up with 1 embryo. My protocol was lupron, birth control, progesterone in oil, estrogen patches.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
CCRM is viewed as the best because they don't take on the hard cases. I wasn't even considered a hard case, but I made a decision to go to donor eggs based on the doctor's assessment, which I now know was very inaccurate. I was young, with normal AMH, FSH, and AFC. There was absolutely no need for me to go such an extreme route when I was still young and had eggs left.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
I paid $40k for one embryo made from donor eggs
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Provided conflicting information
- Failed to convey critical information
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10
10
Age
39
Treated
2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
12 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Unexplained
10
10
I think Dr. G was very thorough, easily reachable and kind. I had experience also at the local University fertility practice and in comparison I found Dr. G very careful in getting full/detailed evaluation and also more aggressive regarding treatment...Dr. G was very knowledgeable but also gentle and understanding. He was present for transfers and I felt that he truly cared for my success...
Initially I thought that CCRM was like a busy fertility factory especially at the main Lone Tree location. However, in Louisville were Dr. G practices, the clinic is smaller and more personalized. I recommend it...Excellent nurse, Lindsey, worked very closely with the Doctor and was easy to reach. Dr. G was very knowledgeable but also gentle and understanding. He was present for transfers and I felt that he truly cared for my success...
Age
39
Treated
2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Doctor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
12 IUI, 2 IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Unexplained
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
I think Dr. G was very thorough, easily reachable and kind. I had experience also at the local University fertility practice and in comparison I found Dr. G very careful in getting full/detailed evaluation and also more aggressive regarding treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Pick the best nurse as this is your link to the doctor.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Excellent nurse, Lindsey, worked very closely with the Doctor and was easy to reach. Dr. G was very knowledgeable but also gentle and understanding. He was present for transfers and I felt that he truly cared for my success.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
Start Supplements: Myo-Inositol, Co-Enzyme Q10, L-Arginine, DHA (omega 3 Fatty Acids), Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Melatonin, Prenatal Vitamins with DHA, Vit D3, DHEA.
Start Testosterone Priming Protocol: Estrace 2mg daily, Doxycycline 100mg twice daily x 10 days (decrease inflammation), Testosterone gel 12.5mg daily, Prometrium 200mg twice daily.
Start Stimulation: Menupur 2 units in AM, Gonal F 300 units in PM, Saizen (growth hormone) 0.4ml in PM (5 days), Dexamethasone 0.5mg in PM.
Co-culture biopsy - October 14th - my own urterine cells to be used for embryo culture
Egg retrieval:14 embryos retrieved, 8 mature and fertilized. 4 embryos made it to blastocyst stage day 5. Chromosomal analysis normal in 3 out of 4. 3 embryos frozen.
Integrin biopsy – normal (integrins in the uterus allow embryo implantation)
Start embryo transfer protocol – Lupron 10 units daily, Vivelle 0.1mg patches and baby ASA, Endometrin 100mg, Medrol 16mg in PM x 4 and Doxycycline 100mg, Progesterone in oil 1ml IM in AM, Estradiol 2mg in PM.
2 embryos transferred. 1 detected on first ultrasound. 1 healthy baby girl.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Lindsey)
Excellent knowledge, experience, communication
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
Initially I thought that CCRM was like a busy fertility factory especially at the main Lone Tree location. However, in Louisville were Dr. G practices, the clinic is smaller and more personalized. I recommend it.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at CCRM Colorado.
Easy to schedule though far from my home (long drive).
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
No insurance coverage. IVF cycle, all the testing including co-culture, integrin biopsy, PGS, medications and travel were close to $40K
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10
8
Age
42
Treated
2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
5 IVF, Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, PCOS, Poor Egg Quality, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Unexplained, Other
10
8
Cares a lot about a patient; knows all the history; can be reached at any time - even from his email... Always spares more than enough time to a patient... he's a well-skilled doctor; I think the best in CCRM; his treatment style is aggressive but result-oriented.
Could hardly reach her [my nurse]... Couldn't call or email her directly. Mixed a lot of stuff, so I always had to be on top of everything, remind her or the others what they needed to do. Very poor nursing service for such a great doctor and clinic.
Age
42
Treated
2014
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$200K - $499K
Occupation
Consultant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
5 IVF, Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, PCOS, Poor Egg Quality, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Unexplained, Other
10
8
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
I handpicked him based on his reviews on social media - and a all was on target. A wonderful doctor with great skills; knowledgeable, talented, up to date with recent research. He has a great bedside manner; is responsive, easily approachable, witty, compassionate. Spares his time to you as much as needed. He's got an aggressive treatment style which is result-oriented and he's very successful. A perfect doctor by all means..
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Don't hold back any questions and share your concerns - if you have any - with him. He will definitely listen to you and either him or you will be convinced at the end with your next step
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Great bedside manner while stating all the facts candidly and professionally. Cares a lot about a patient; knows all the history; can be reached at any time - even from his email; responsive, humorous and very gentle. Listens to patient's concerns and acts accordingly if it's applicable - if not, convinces with facts. Always spares more than enough time to a patient. And to top it all; he's a well-skilled doctor; I think the best in CCRM; his treatment style is aggressive but result-oriented.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
1 cycle was EPP/Saizen (Estrogen priming with sazien) which didn't work on me at all - Cetrotide which was used at priming suppressed my ovaries too much and result was really disappointing - no blasts and normals came out of that cycle.
Then he changed the protocol to testesterone & estrogen priming antagonist with Saizen. It was a rock star protocol and I did great with it; 20 eggs retrieved, 17 were mature (thanks to Dr Gustofson's tweaks of meds during the cycle, it's an art); 11 fertilized; 4 blasts and 3 came back normals - one resulted in my daughter :)
So the last cycle was the same again, but this time I didn't want aggressive stimming and pushed him to lower Gonal f. He didn't really want it but we met halfway - started high, then decreased. That was a good cycle too; 17 retrieved, 15 mature, 11 fert; 2 blasts; but no normals.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Helen Bolster)
Could hardly reach her. She was away most of the days, yet I never was informed which days they were. Couldn't call or email her directly. Mixed a lot of stuff, so I always had to be on top of everything, remind her or the others what they needed to do. Very poor nursing service for such a great doctor and clinic
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
- Lost appointments
- Failed to order appropriate test
- Failed to inform you of changes in protocol
- Provided conflicting information
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
43 - 46
Treated
2010 - 2013
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
3 IUI, IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
10
Because of a previous loss of a triplet pregnancy (with two embryos, one of which split), Dr Gustofson refused to transfer more than one embryo. He also had me on progesterone-in-oil injections, rather than just suppositories. Both times that we did these things, I had easy successful singleton pregnancies...He took a lot of time with us during appointments, he answered all of our questions, he was direct but always very kind to us, and he communicated clearly and promptly at all times.
The Louisville offices are smaller and very friendly, easy to access and comfortable. The bigger facilities in Parker are much further away, and much larger and more intimidating, but people are still quite nice. I loved the staff in the Louisville office. My only disappointment was that my favorite person, the very friendly and warm secretary who checked us in each time, left the office between my second and third rounds of ivf, and we didn't get any explanation why or where she went. I'm sure this was due to privacy reasons, but I would have liked the chance to thank her for her kindness, especially after our second-trimester pregnancy loss in the first round, and to wish her well. Carrie, who was also at the front desk, was also very nice and so patient and helpful with billing and insurance issues. It seems like the office had some turnover of staff between our second and third round, which was disconcerting at first, but did not turn out to be a trend. We liked everybody we saw at the Louisville offices. The only person I didn't really feel that comfortable with was one of the acupuncturists at the Parker office. She was a little abrupt with me and seemed more concerned with payment than anything else.
Age
43 - 46
Treated
2010 - 2013
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Professor
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, IVF, Donor Eggs
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr Gustofson is clearly very good at what he does but is also a very kind and compassionate doctor. He was very patient with all of our questions and also very friendly and reassuring. I never felt rushed at appointments and never was pressured into a particular course of action.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Don't mess around with less expensive clinics -- go to the best first. Dr Gustofson will give you the best possible advice and care.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
He took a lot of time with us during appointments, he answered all of our questions, he was direct but always very kind to us, and he communicated clearly and promptly at all times.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
Because of my poor response to the first round of IVF treatment at another clinic, Dr Gustofson felt that it would be difficult to get pregnant using my own eggs, so we opted for using donor eggs and got pregnant easily. Because of a previous loss of a triplet pregnancy (with two embryos, one of which split), Dr Gustofson refused to transfer more than one embryo. He also had me on progesterone-in-oil injections, rather than just suppositories. Both times that we did these things, I had easy successful singleton pregnancies.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Chris )
Efficient, friendly, patient, very skilled
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
The Louisville offices are smaller and very friendly, easy to access and comfortable. The bigger facilities in Parker are much further away, and much larger and more intimidating, but people are still quite nice. I loved the staff in the Louisville office. My only disappointment was that my favorite person, the very friendly and warm secretary who checked us in each time, left the office between my second and third rounds of ivf, and we didn't get any explanation why or where she went. I'm sure this was due to privacy reasons, but I would have liked the chance to thank her for her kindness, especially after our second-trimester pregnancy loss in the first round, and to wish her well. Carrie, who was also at the front desk, was also very nice and so patient and helpful with billing and insurance issues. It seems like the office had some turnover of staff between our second and third round, which was disconcerting at first, but did not turn out to be a trend. We liked everybody we saw at the Louisville offices. The only person I didn't really feel that comfortable with was one of the acupuncturists at the Parker office. She was a little abrupt with me and seemed more concerned with payment than anything else.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
Can't remember what the costs of the first round (fresh donor-egg transfer) was. Two subsequent frozen transfers were about 10-12 thousand, including medications but not including recommended pre -transfer acupuncture sessions
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
8
Age
32 - 34
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF, 1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Unexplained
10
8
He [Dr. Gustofson] is so kind and genuine. He is very responsive. He also has a great sense of humor which is much appreciated in the stressful environment of fertility treatments. He explains everything in detail, without being condescending if you ask any questions....Due to having PCOS, Dr. G thought I might over-stimulate and was therefore cautious on my first retrieval cycle. Unfortunately this resulted in only having one embryo available for transfer. For any future cycles, he has already adjusted the protocol to be more aggressive.
Billing office [CCRM Colorado] is a huge weakness. No one really seems to know what they are doing and they err on the side of patient error every time (even though job my case it's been their error every time). They have no compassion. The front desk staff often seem annoyed. I've had a phlebotomist complain to me about her kids - know your audience! All that being said, I think CCRM does have many experts and many great care team members.
Age
32 - 34
Treated
2017 - 2019
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
3 IUI, 1 IVF, 1 Egg Freezing
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Unexplained
10
8
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
He is so kind and genuine. He is very responsive. He also has a great sense of humor which is much appreciated in the stressful environment of fertility treatments. He explains everything in detail, without being condescending if you ask any questions. He really is just a great doctor and one that I'm glad I found.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. G really cares for his patients. He is so responsive and genuine.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
Due to having PCOS, Dr. G thought I might over-stimulate and was therefore cautious on my first retrieval cycle. Unfortunately this resulted in only having one embryo available for transfer. For any future cycles, he has already adjusted the protocol to be more aggressive.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Helen)
Helen is so kind and organized. She's very helpful in explaining things and she anticipates questions we might have before we even have them. She has no judgement when it comes to decisions we've made and stands behind us no matter what.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
Billing office is a huge weakness. No one really seems to know what they are doing and they err on the side of patient error every time (even though job my case it's been their error every time). They have no compassion. The front desk staff often seem annoyed. I've had a phlebotomist complain to me about her kids - know your audience! All that being said, I think CCRM does have many experts and many great care team members.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
For one cycle of IVF, including FET, ICSI, and CCS testing, we paid about $25k. (Not including meds)
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
He strongly advised transferring one embryo and advised us of risks of twins.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Failed to convey critical information
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2
6
Age
36
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Treatment
IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor, Poor Egg Quality, Other
2
6
During our consultation, he rushed through a formulaic explanation of the severity of my condition while I openly cried because I was receiving difficult information for the first time. He didn't pause to let me gain my composure. I had to find tissues myself to wipe off my face....Dr. Gustofson was direct and thorough in his explanations, but came off as quite callous. I believe his assessment erred on the reasonably conservative side of what options were possible for me, and his recommended treatment was equally thorough and aggressive.
Scheduling was problematic. When I showed up for my appointment, I was not on the doctor's schedule despite all my confirmations. They [CCRM Colorado] squeezed me in between other appointments. But this made my appointment feel rushed and my doctor seemed stressed. The billing office was initially very responsive but never gave me detailed information on IVF billing as promised.... A nurse walked us through possible next steps after our consultation but did not follow up with us about questions as promised.
Age
36
Treated
2018
Success with this Doc
?
Race
European
Income
—
Occupation
—
Order & Number of Docs Seen
1st of 2 Docs
Treatment
IVF
Diagnosis
Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor, Poor Egg Quality, Other
2
6
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson was direct and thorough in his explanations, but came off as quite callous. I believe his assessment erred on the reasonably conservative side of what options were possible for me, and his recommended treatment was equally thorough and aggressive. I found his manner to be very dismissive and unkind, as did my partner. Because of this, and a move to a new state, we decided to work with another doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
Dr. Gustofson seems competent and thorough. I would expect aggressive fertility treatments, and I would not expect a gentle bedside manner.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
During our consultation, he rushed through a formulaic explanation of the severity of my condition while I openly cried because I was receiving difficult information for the first time. He didn't pause to let me gain my composure. I had to find tissues myself to wipe off my face.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
We only received a consultation from Dr. Gustofson. He recommended IVF with PGS and genetic screening for Fragile X because I have diminished ovarian reserve.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
A nurse walked us through possible next steps after our consultation but did not follow up with us about questions as promised.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
Scheduling was problematic. When I showed up for my appointment, I was not on the doctor's schedule despite all my confirmations. They squeezed me in between other appointments. But this made my appointment feel rushed and my doctor seemed stressed. The billing office was initially very responsive but never gave me detailed information on IVF billing as promised.
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
Dr. Gustofson explained the benefits and risks of single and multiple embryo transfer. I did not get the impression he would push us in either direction had we chosen to move forward with him.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
- Lost appointments
- Failed to convey critical information
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Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
10
10
Age
30 - 31
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Treatment
4 IVF, 3 Egg Freezing, 3 Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Tubal Blockage
10
10
At a previous clinic I was told I had to use donor eggs. We consulted with Dr G [Gustofson] and he assured me that we would not have to do that. He suggestted doing embryo banking and it ended up we only had to do one retrieval based off his strong protocol. We ended up with 6 pgs tested embryos and we got pregnant on our first transfer. Throughout the whole process he always made me feel like I could ask any questions and he took the time to answer them.
Love the clinic [CCRM] except for the finance team. Multiple times they told me I didn’t have insurance coverage when I did. I had to fight with them multiple times on this. Other then dealing with this everyone else was always super nice and helpful. They just need some help with the billing and insurance side especially when that is one of the most stressful parts of this process.... [Cost Of Treatment] $9500 without medications
Age
30 - 31
Treated
2017 - 2018
Success with this Doc
Yes
Race
Other
Income
$100K - $199K
Occupation
Accountant
Order & Number of Docs Seen
2nd of 2 Docs
Treatment
4 IVF, 3 Egg Freezing, 3 Embryo Freezing
Diagnosis
Endometriosis, Tubal Blockage
10
10
How was your experience with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
At a previous clinic I was told I had to use donor eggs. We consulted with Dr G and he assured me that we would not have to do that. He suggestted doing embryo banking and it ended up we only had to do one retrieval based off his strong protocol. We ended up with 6 pgs tested embryos and we got pregnant on our first transfer. Throughout the whole process he always made me feel like I could ask any questions and he took the time to answer them. He was very personable. He even took the time to call my husband and myself and tell us we were pregnant. I would recommend him to anyone seeking infertility treatment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado?
He is very personable and understood our needs. He took the time to listen to us and also make sure we understood the process. He felt like a friend and not a Dr.
Describe the protocols Robert Gustofson used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
Testerone with Patches-Antagonist.
Estrace/Testerone/Prometrium/Manipur/Gonal-f/Ganirelex.
I did 2 months of depot Lupron before the transfer.
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
Love the clinic except for the finance team. Multiple times they told me I didn’t have insurance coverage when I did. I had to fight with them multiple times on this. Other then dealing with this everyone else was always super nice and helpful. They just need some help with the billing and insurance side especially when that is one of the most stressful parts of this process.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Gustofson at CCRM Colorado.
$9500 without medications
Describe Robert Gustofson's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
The dr said he was confident with the quality and grading that we should only transfer one embryo. I was happy with his decision.
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